Los Angeles: The fabric of the commercial community throughout the greater Los Angeles Area consists of businesses large and small. Several of these smaller markets, the "mom and pop" run convenience stores, are easy targets for thieves and robbers who prey upon the storeowners. In many instances, these crimes often involve violence, guns, and terror to our community.

One such small store, a neighborhood market, is located on the 1100 block of S. Lorena Street in Los Angeles. The storeowners, who were being continuously robbed, installed a video security system to identify the criminals robbing the small business.

On Sunday, December 16, 2001, at approximately 4:30 p.m., a lone gunman entered the Hollenbeck area convenience store and robbed the clerk of an unspecified amount of cash. Pointing a handgun at the cashier, the suspect demanded the money from the register, reached over the counter and took the cash from the clerk who was in fear for his life.

The newly installed video camera recorded the crime.

Los Angeles Police Department’s Hollenbeck Robbery Detectives obtained a videotape of the crime and will make it available to the media with the purpose of identifying the armed suspect.

LAPD Media Relations will provide an excellent quality, color videotape of the armed robbery upon request and it can be obtained at LAPD Parker Center, 150 N. Los Angeles Street. For further information, contact LAPD Media Relations, 213-485-3586.

Anyone with information regarding the Robbery should contact Los Angeles Police Department, Hollenbeck Division Detectives at 323-526-3164. On weekends and during off-hours, call the 24 hour toll free number at Detective Information Desk at 1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).