Road Rage Turns Into Armed Robbery At Stanford Center: Police

PALO ALTO, CA — An argument between two drivers on the road escalated to an armed robbery in the parking lot of the Stanford Shopping Center this morning, the Palo Alto Police Department reported.

The suspect threatened the victim with a handgun and stole the victim’s mobile phone, according to police.

His identity is unknown and he is at large.

The dispatch center received a report at 9:17 a.m. of a man with a gun in the parking lot of the Stanford Shopping Center located at 180 El Camino Real.

The preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect and victim engaged in a road rage dispute as they drove northbound on Arboretum Road. Both male drivers began shouting at each other when suddenly the suspect threw a cup of cold coffee onto the victim through the window.

The suspect then stopped and a female passenger exited the car and ran away. The victim in his 50s parked at the Stanford Shopping Center and walked over to the suspect’s car and confronted him. While seated in his vehicle, the suspect threatened the victim with a semi-automatic handgun. After the victim backed away, the suspect then walked over to the victim’s vehicle and stole a mobile phone located inside the car.

The suspect was last seen driving away eastbound on Sandhill Road.

The victim was unharmed.

Police are actively investigating.

The suspect is described by the victim as a Hispanic man in his 20s who is tall and heavy set. He was wearing a red polo shirt and gray pants. The suspect vehicle is possibly a newer model black Toyota Camry.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the free mobile app, downloadable at www.bit.ly/PAPD-AppStore or www.bit.ly/PAPD-GooglePlay.