Man Charged in ‘Splasher’ Heists

A suspected robber, nicknamed the “Minimarket Splasher” because he allegedly used hot coffee as a weapon, was charged Wednesday with 44 holdups across the Valley over a two-month period.

Anthony Wafer, 33, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

He was initially arrested in July in connection with two robberies and was suspected in dozens more. Authorities said his targets were mainly supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, sandwich shops and doughnut shops.

The robber was rarely armed, and would not demand money from the clerks, police said. Instead, he would pretend to buy something, and after the cashier had rung up his purchase and opened the register, he would punch or push the clerk or splash the hot coffee he was pretending to buy in the victim’s face, officers said.

LAPD Robbery Homicide Detective Jack Giroud said the robber would then grab a handful of cash and run off, his biggest take being a few hundred dollars.

Wafer was hooked on cocaine, Giroud said. “He wasn’t getting wealthy. He just had enough to supply his dope,” Giroud said.