THOUSAND OAKS : Armed Robber Steals Executive’s Briefcase

A Thousand Oaks executive was robbed as he arrived at work Thursday morning by a gunman who took his briefcase and fled, Sheriff’s Detective Joe Braga said.

Braga said that Lawrence Danter, 48, arrived at work about 7 a.m. at Weidmuller/Paladin Tools, in the 3500 block of Old Conejo Road. He is executive vice president of the Newbury Park company, which makes telephone and computer equipment, Braga said.

As Danter went to unlock the door, a man walked up, pointed a small-caliber semiautomatic pistol at him and told him in broken English to open the door, Braga said.

A second man drove up in a white, heavily rusted, full-size van with no rear license plate and spoke in Spanish to the first man, he said.

Braga said the two may have been startled by other people arriving for work. The first man took Danter’s briefcase and jumped into the van, and the pair fled, Braga said.

Danter was unhurt, but lost a laptop computer, papers and personal checks that were in the briefcase, Braga said.

Danter told police the first suspect was in his late 20s, 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed about 160 pounds. He was wearing a red and black plaid shirt and white painter’s pants, the witness said. Danter was unable to give a complete description of the van’s driver, Braga said.

Braga said that anyone with information about the incident should call him at 494-8223. Anonymous tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 494-TALK from Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.