Pair of Armed Robbers Go on Sunday Crime Spree in Cerritos and Lakewood

Cerritos and Lakewood sheriff's deputies are searching for two armed robbers who went on a Sunday night crime spree, victimizing five individuals at different locations in Cerritos and Lakewood during a roughly two hour stretch.

The first incident took place outside of Chase Bank at 13223 South St. in Cerritos at about 6:40 p.m. on Nov. 11 when the suspects -- a black male armed with a handgun and a Hispanic male, both of whom were wearing dark hoodies -- approached a man at the ATM drive-thru. The victim was able to speed off before the suspects took any cash, according to Lt. Allen Castellano of the Cerritos Sheriff's Station.

About 20 minutes later, a pair fitting the same suspect description robbed someone of at least $30 cash in the parking lot of Mimi's Cafe at the Cerritos Towne Center, Castellano said. 

At 8:10 p.m., a person using the drive-thru ATM at the Bank of America at 12221 Artesia Blvd. in Cerritos was robbed of $40 cash by the same suspects, the lieutenant added.

Another 20 minutes later, the Lakewood Sheriff's Station received a call from someone who had been robbed -- apparently by the same two suspects -- at a liquor store across from the Long Beach Towne Center along Carson Boulevard, Castellano said. 

The same pair then robbed someone else outside the Wells Fargo Bank at 4711 Candlewood St. in Lakewood at about 8:50 p.m., he added. 

Castellano said none of the victims were hurt in any of the five hold-ups, however, the black male suspect was reportedly armed with a handgun. A description of the pair's getaway vehicle was not provided by any of the victims, he added.

Anyone with information on the suspects is urged to call the Cerritos Sheriff's Station at (562) 860-0044, or the Lakewood Sheriff's Station at (562) 623-3500.