DANA POINT : Same Gang Blamed for Six Robberies

A small gang of young men armed with handguns has robbed six commercial establishments in South County over the past three weeks, threatening workers during late-night robberies before escaping with small amounts of cash, a spokesman for the Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday.

The group struck again last Saturday at a Taco Bell fast-food restaurant in Dana Point. Four men crawled through the drive-up window just after midnight and, after ordering the manager and three employees to lie on the floor, fled on foot with a small amount of cash, Sgt. Wayne Carlander said.

Carlander believes that the same men previously surprised employees at closing hours, robbing a Pizza Hut on Alicia Parkway in Laguna Hills, a Kentucky Fried Chicken on Chrisanta Drive in Mission Viejo, a Del Taco on Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, the Chart House on Street of the Green Lantern in Dana Point and a Payless Drug Store on Street of the Golden Lantern in Laguna Niguel.

In each case, the suspects were described as male Latinos in their late teens to early 20s, between 5 feet 2 and 5 feet 10 inches tall with medium builds and black hair. During the robbery of the Del Taco franchise, the suspects also were armed with a sawed-off shotgun, Carlander said.

The suspects have been described as wearing baseball caps, gloves, jeans and shorts. Escape vehicles include a yellow or white small compact, possibly a Toyota; a light-blue, full-size American station wagon, and an early 1980s Ford hardtop, possibly a Mustang.

Only one person has been injured during the robberies, but Carlander said the men should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information on the robberies or the suspects is asked to call Carlander or investigators Chris Leseberg or Carol Braselton at (714) 249-5202 during business hours, or to call (714) 647-7000 at any time.