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Suspect Sketch
Area police searching for serial robbery suspect
Man is suspected in nine incidents, one in Campbell
By Kate Carter
Campbell police, in conjunction with police departments throughout the county, are searching for a serial robbery suspect who has committed nine robberies at gas stations and small businesses in Campbell, San Jose, Santa Clara and Fremont since early December.
The suspect may also have robbed a Bank of the West in Cupertino Jan. 4.
The Campbell incident occurred at about 9 p.m. Dec. 23 at the Rotten Robbie gas station at 2140 S. Winchester Blvd. Campbell detective Joe Cefalu said the suspect waited until the store was empty, then walked in and purchased some small items. He then asked for change for a $100 bill he put on the counter. When the clerk, a woman alone in the store, opened the register, the suspect displayed a handgun in his waistband and demanded money, Cefalu said. He said the suspect took a little more than $100 from the gas station.
Cefalu said he was contacted by San Jose Police detective Jeff Enslen Dec. 24, who told him the Campbell suspect's behavior and description matched those from seven earlier cases in San Jose, Santa Clara and Fremont. The incidents began Dec. 2, continued through the Dec. 23 Campbell incident, and then began again Jan. 2, police say. Cefalu said he believes the suspect lives in San Jose and may possibly have left the country during the Christmas and New Year's holidays. He added that serial robbers are often motivated by narcotics problems.
Cefalu said he has investigated three serial robbery cases in his seven-month tenure with the division, and the previous two suspects are in custody. He said although the Rotten Robbie does not have a significant history of robberies, any store that stays open 24 hours is more likely to have robberies.
Police describe the suspect as a 30- to 40-year-old Latino male, 5 feet, 4 inches to 5 feet, 8 inches in height, weighing 150 to 180 pounds, with black hair and a dark complexion. He speaks with a Spanish accent, wears a gray athletic jacket with blue sleeves and sometimes wears a dark baseball cap. He was seen leaving the Campbell robbery and at least another one of the robberies in a 1987 to 1989 BMW, possibly a silver 325E, with the stolen license plate of 4PIT926, Cefalu said. He said the license plate was stolen from another BMW out of Cupertino, and the suspect's car had a different license plate on the front than on the back.
Police consider the suspect to be armed and dangerous and are advising anyone who spots him not to approach him but instead to call 911. Anyone who has information on the case can call Cefalu at 408.866.2179, or Enslen at 408.277.4166. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 408.947.STOP.
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Campbell, California
