2 Gunmen Rob Sushi Bar Owner, Patrons

Two armed bandits robbed a Ventura Boulevard sushi bar Wednesday, taking cash from the cash register, six patrons and three employees, Los Angeles police reported.

The robbery occurred about 8:45 p.m. in the 15400 block of Ventura Boulevard, at the Restaurant Shihoya, said Detective Greg Demirjian.

Minutes before the robbery, patrons told police, two women walked into the restaurant and looked around as if they were scouting it. The gunmen entered shortly afterward, were seated and pretended that they were about to order, then drew pistols and ordered patrons and workers to lie on the floor, Demirjian said.

Demirjian said one gunman went behind the counter and robbed the owner of about $200 and took another $495 from the register. The second gunman robbed the patrons of about $700, the detective said.

The robbery lasted less than five minutes, he said.

Both gunman were described as black men, between 23 and 27 years old. One of them was described as standing 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing about 150 pounds. He was wearing baggy brown pants and a hooded navy blue sweat shirt.

The second gunman was about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed about 170 pounds, and had braided hair and a goatee, Demirjian said. He was wearing beige khaki pants and a yellow and brown sweat shirt. Both men carried stainless steel short-barreled revolvers, Demirjian said.