Masked, Armed Suspects Rob 2 Westside Liquor Stores

SANTA MONICA, CA — Police are searching Friday for two armed and masked men suspected of robbing liquor stores in Culver City and Venice within minutes of each other.

The first robbery occurred at Venice Liquor, at 12525 Venice Boulevard in Mar Vista, about 12:30 a.m. and the second robbery took place about a mile away at Lucky 7 Liquors in the 12400 block of Washington Boulevard in Culver City about 12:40 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The men walked into the store, pulled guns and demanded money from an employee in both robberies. Video from one of the robberies showed a suspect grabbing cash out of a register as the store employee stood to the side.

Culver City police were investigating reports that one of the suspects was also armed with a cattle prod, according to ABC7.

A detailed description of the suspects was not immediately available, but the LAPD believes the suspects are tied to a string of robberies of liquor stores in the area in recent weeks.