The Antelope Valley Times

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Teen robbed at gunpoint in restaurant parking lot

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A teen told deputies he was robbed Monday afternoon in the parking lot of Medrano’s in Quartz Hill. Photo by LUIS MEZA.

QUARTZ HILL – An 18-year-old stopping for food at a local restaurant was robbed at gunpoint before he could get out of his car, authorities said.

The incident happened around 4:30 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of Medrano’s Mexican Restaurant at 5037 West Avenue N in Quartz Hill, according to Palmdale Community Relations Deputy Robbie Royster.

Royster said the suspect approached the victim’s vehicle and ordered the victim to turn down the window and hand over his belongings. When the victim hesitated, the thief pulled out a gun, Royster said.

“The suspect actually produced a black semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and pointed it directly at the victim,” Royster said. “The victim gives up his cell phone and his wallet, which had some money in it. The suspect then gets into a burgundy Chevy Silverado, that was parked a couple spots over from the victim, and then drove east through the parking lot and out of sight.”

The getaway truck had four doors, chromed rims and tinted windows, and the suspect was the sole occupant, Royster said.

The alleged thief is described as a Hispanic male, between 25 to 30-years-old, who is around 5’8” to 5’9” tall, and weighs about 125 pounds. The suspect has short black hair and brown eyes and he was wearing a red t-shirt, blue jeans and black shoes, Royster said.

“It was 4:30 [when the robbery happened], so I imagine somebody probably saw something,” Royster said.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Palmdale Station at 661-272-2400. If you would like to remain anonymous, you may do so by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Update 8/27/2012: Lancaster deputies caught the man believed to be responsible for this crime. The suspect, 24-year-old Jorge Quinones, was arrested on Aug. 25 for robbing an attorney at gunpoint in Lancaster (read more here). Authorities have since connected Quinones to this robbery, as well.
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Man robbed at gunpoint near liquor store

Robbery location

LANCASTER – Another man was allegedly robbed at gunpoint Monday – this one happened near a liquor store in west Lancaster, authorities said.

“The call came in at just about 10:55 last night [Aug. 20],” said Lancaster Community Relations Deputy Michael Rust.  “The caller said he was robbed at gunpoint near the liquor store at 13th West and Avenue I. There were two male Black suspects and one male Hispanic, all in their 20s.”

The victim, who went home before reporting the robbery, told deputies that the thieves took his wallet, Rust said. A complete description of the suspects was not immediately available.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Lancaster Station at 661-948-8466. If you would like to remain anonymous, you may do so by calling Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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Filed Under: Crime/ Safety

32 comments for "Teen robbed at gunpoint in restaurant parking lot"

  2. Has anybody here thought about the ALLEGED perpetrator??? He may be a victim himself (of the economy, etc.) and may be just trying to feed his family. He didn’t hurt anybody.

    • Yeah right…as he jumps into his get away vehicle, a custom painted, late model SUV with the chrome spinners. Gimme me a break you ACLU lover.

        • Yeah idiot….maybe he was borrowing the money to donate to the church of Dumbs*#t. Is that the one you attend? Would you feel the same if you were the victim of this P.O.S.??

          • Again with these enablers. Stop trying to make exudes for these low life. I bet you wouldn’t feel so compassionate towards this low life scum if that was you or a loved one being robbed.
            And yes the people on here have thought about the alleged suspect. He’s a criminal! You don’t steal someone’s phone at gunpoint when you need money to feed your family. Why not sell those chrome rims? Or better yet, why not get an EBT card and have the taxpayers feed you just like the rest of the scum low life.

          • Are you Flippin kidding me!!! Even though this other person can’t spell, your a moron. I have been out of work for Three years, I have never robbed a person in my life. I live off 512.$ a month with two children. This person is a criminal and I hope he robes you next time so you can feel sorry for him then. Ignorance comes in many different forms… Maybe the typos are from the frustration of the fact, this comment is the most stupidest excuse for the lack of respect most of this community represents. I’m laughing at you in the most confounded form…

    • Seriously, you idiot?! So, just because he is down on his luck that gives him the right to hold a gun to someone and steal their money and belongings? Wow, times are tough for me right now, so I guess I’ll rob a 7-11 and just tell the cops “Hey, I’m the victim of the economy.” You sir are an idiot.

      • Don’t let Bruce get you down, Shelly. I’ve seen his posts before and he’s just another warped liberal; and an idiot, as you say.

    • Wow. That’s amazing that just because people are broke its ok for someone to bust out a gun like a punk and rob someone…yet some people are good with that. The victim was my nephew and no one I mean no one deserves that no matter what the idiot perpetrator is going through. Just because he wasn’t physically hurt doesn’t mean it didn’t affect him. But 1 stupid comment really doesnt surptise me, there’s Always one naive person out there who doesn’t get it. Because it seems like everyone else does.

      • Valerie
        Well said. The minute that (down on his luck) guy pulled a gun on a citizen, screw him. He’s a crook and needs to go to jail (where he will get 3 squares and a cot.)

    • Bruce, considering the alleged perpetrator’s circumstance is appropriate to a holistic approach to how the crime actually occurred. However, you forgot to take into account a few facts presented in the article. First off, whether the suspect was a victim of our rotten local economy may be a mitigating factor in how he came to a decision to commit the crime, the fact remains that he CHOSE to commit a violent crime. Yes, I said a violent crime as the use of the weapon fomred a force of fear which is of violence, making the victim of the crime’s psychology forever marred by the belief of imminent death from that moment.

      This brings me to my second point, which is a refutement of your statement of the suspect not having hurt anybody, which he most certainly did. The harm done may not have been visibly physical, but there was, indeed, hurt. the victim was hurt psychologically in multiple ways, including some which may have physical manifistations from the sudden onset of the stress of a life or death situation, as well as economically. Have you considered the impact of the local rotten economy against the victim, as well as you have the perpetrator? Now the victim is even more impacted by the loss of money and important communications (indeed, it would be ironic if the victim missed the phone call for that new, high paying, job due to this theft of the cell phone).

      Finally, if you wish to consider that the vehicle did not belong to the perpetrator as a defense of his economic condition, then you must also consider the additional crime of the theft of the vehicle, which will most certainly have a ripple effect of impact (i.e.: harm) for the legitimate owner of the vehicle. Again, the perpetrator caused harm by his actions.

      I am sometimes, most unfairly and inaccurately, painted as being somehow a defender of those who commit criminal acts. I can tell you that nothing is further from the truth. My considerations of the whole of a crime include far more than the simple minded, neanderthalian, and vengeance-based point of view espoused by some of our fellow bloggers on this site, which means that I may see ways to prevent recurrences of a given crime by methods that are not simply punitive in nature. This does not mean, however, that the principles of personal responsibility are to be ignored in the commission of a given crime. No matter what the negative external influences may exist upon a person that leads them to the decision to commit a crime, the fact remains that they made that decision to do so and must face the consequences of that decision.

      • Well written, Stinger! But it’s really a shame that you have to go to those depths to articulate the nature of crime and its impact on the victim to someone.

        The fact that we even have to broach this is disturbing. I’m hoping Bruce is simply a troll with a penchant to start a flame war.

        • Or Bruce is just a right wing plant, trying to make the left look like they support criminals. Could be fat boy, stirring the pot. I know no one on the left who would support a asshole who pulled a gun. They may support trying to redeem the dumb ass so as he doesn’t re-offend after his stay in prison, but regardless of the comments stating otherwise, he needs to serve time!

  3. I moved to Quartz Hill last year because I wanted to be away from crime. I hope these thugs are caught and prosecuted!

    • Caught and prosecuted? I’d prefer shot and killed by another worthless, piece if caca homie.

    • Things like this happen everywhere sadly. I was robbed in Goleta, near Santa Barbara. That is the last place in the world that I ever expected anything like that to happen which is probably why I was a target.

  5. Hold up, is that the infamous Back Door on the map in the second pic? LOLOLOL!!! No wonder home boy went home before reporting it and he told the cops he was robbed near a liqour store. LMAO!!!!

    • I don’t find anything humorous about this so I don’t see the need for your “LOLOLOL”.

      There is nothing funny about being robbed or held up. It is one of the worst things that can happen to you besides being killed. Not only are you robbed of whatever the thieves took, you are also robbed of your ability to trust people,your ability to feel secure and your ability to have empathy when it is appropriate.

      When I was robbed, I endured many nights without sleep and was forced to take anti-anxiety medication and medication to help regulate my blood pressure. It took years to be able to get off of the anti-anxiety medication and I am just now starting to get to the point where my blood pressure meds are being reduced. I truly hope you are never unfortunate enough to have to go through it like many people have.

      If, through your “LOL”-ing, you are implying that this individual deserved to be robbed because he was in the vicinity of a gay bar and he “MIGHT” be gay, then all I have to say is that you are a very disgusting and disturbed human being!

        • Well said Matt. I don’t find ANY humor in someone being robbed at gunpoint, and so what if he was at this gay bar. It concerns me, because my SON goes to that bar, and yes he is gay.

      • And yet we continue to vote for politicians who allow the sheriff to deny our constitutional right to self defense. Lee Baca needs to comply with court order and constitutional law, issue ccw permits now.

      • Matt, I quite agree with your statements. I’m sorry to hear about you being robbed and having to take medication to deal with the high blood pressure, as well as anxiety. Not fun for anyone of any age.

        All we know from the above information is that the incident occurred near the liquor store at Avenue I and 13th Street West. Is the Back Door in the vicinity? Yes. Does that mean that it played a role in this particular crime? We don’t know that as yet. . . insufficient information.

        A little compassion for others, especially those who are crime victims, whether or not they are just like you in every respect, goes a long way. Just an observation. Thanks.