Armed Man Robs 2 Eateries on Same Night

A man with a handgun tucked in his waistband robbed a Saugus sandwich shop Friday night and apparently changed clothes, drove to a Valencia ice cream store about five miles away and struck again 38 minutes later, authorities said.

In both cases, a man in his early to mid-30s entered the store and ordered a soda, said Sgt. Patrick Hunter of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. When the clerk gave him the drink, he lifted his shirt to reveal a gun in his waistband and demanded money from the cash register. The suspect was white, had brown hair, weighed about 170 pounds and was between 5 feet, 7 inches and 6 feet tall, authorities said.

“It would appear as if these two incidents are related, based on the suspect description and the methods by which they were committed,” Hunter said. “The chances are high that it was the same person.”

The first robbery occurred at 9:10 p.m. at a Subway sandwich shop at 27667 Bouquet Canyon Road. The suspect, who fled with $299, was wearing a denim jacket, a black shirt, black jeans and a black knit cap, Hunter said.

At 9:48, a man wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and light blue jeans robbed a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop at 25884 The Old Road in Valencia, making off with $400.

The crimes were similar to a string of fast-food robberies committed recently in Ventura County. In October, a man robbed three Baskin-Robbins stores and a Little Caesar’s Pizza shop, in each instance ordering a drink and then lifting his shirt to display a gun. The suspect was described as being in his late 20s, about 6 feet tall and weighing 170 to 180 pounds.

Hunter said detectives in Santa Clarita were aware of the possible link, but those handling the case could not be reached Saturday. Detectives familiar with the Ventura cases were also unavailable for comment.