Teen Victim Of Strong Arm Robbery Outside Taco Bell

PALO ALTO, CA -- Confused and trusting, a teenage boy waiting outside a Taco Bell Sunday fell victim to a strong arm robbery when he was tricked into holding out his cell phone before it was grabbed by one of three suspects that sped away in a car, the Palo Alto Police Department reported.

Officers responded to a 2:55 p.m. call in which the 17-year-old boy standing outside the restaurant at 900 block of East Charleston Road was asked by a suspect in a vehicle pulling out of the drive through what he was looking at. The boy held up his phone as if to answer the question.

Upon grabbing the phone, the suspects were last seen traveling southbound on U.S. Highway 101 after turning on Charleston Road.

The victim describes all three suspects as being between the ages of 18- to 24-years-old, with the male suspect who allegedly grabbed the phone as Hispanic with black hair and brown eyes. He waswearing a white T-shirt and a black-hooded sweatshirt. The driver in the getaway car is described as a white male with black hair, brown eyes and acne on his face. He was wearing earrings, a white T-shirt and a grey-hooded sweater. The female passenger is described as being Hispanic with long black hair, brown eyes, wearing a white Adidas sweater. The suspect vehicle is a silver Nissan Altima.

Detectives are actively investigating this robbery. They are looking to see if it is connected
to any other crimes in surrounding cities.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at
650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.