Hate Crime at 7-Eleven Store Turns Into a Cash Bonanza

It started out as a hate crime, but ended up like a Lotto cash-in.

And it was all caught on videotape.

As Alberto Ramirez, 27, pulled into the parking lot of a 7-Eleven on Devonshire Street in Chatsworth Thursday morning, a man in a green 1995 Toyota pickup asked him for directions to the Simi Valley Freeway, said Det. Tony Foti, hate crime supervisor at the Devonshire division.

After Ramirez gave the directions, the man, described as a tall white male, yelled racial slurs at him, Foti said.

Police said Ramirez tried to ignore the man and entered the store, but was followed by the man, who picked up a bottle of liquid soap and sprayed it at Ramirez, all the while continuing the insults. Ramirez tried to sidestep his attacker but the suspect blocked him, then grabbed two cans of soda and hurled them across the store, police said.

The store’s security camera caught it all.

Ramirez managed to get outside, where he grabbed a camera from his car and began taking photos as the man followed him to the parking lot, police said.

While he yelled insults at Ramirez, the suspect threw a large knife at Ramirez, who dodged it, Foti said.

As a last but expensive resort, the man reached into his pocket and began throwing cash at Ramirez before the suspect got in his truck and drove off.

“It was pandemonium,” Foti said. “At that time, the wind was blowing” about 35 to 40 mph and bystanders were “snapping money out of the air.”

Ramirez managed to grab $2,333, which he turned in to police, who had been called to the scene.

Police said they will review the 7-Eleven videotape and the pictures Ramirez took of the suspect to track him down.

The money was booked as evidence, police said. Ramirez could eventually get the money if it goes unclaimed, police added.

“People don’t believe it happened,” Foti said. “I even thought they were trying to pull one on me.”