Robber strikes twice, minutes apart

A robber who grabs money through a drivethrough restaurant window is a rare occurrence in itself, but police allege the same guy who robbed a Del Taco in Newbury Park also grabbed money from the register of a Thousand Oaks gas station a few minutes later.

According to police, at 5:05 a.m. Mon., Oct. 20, the robber entered the drive-through of the Del Taco at 591 N. Ventu Park Road and ordered a soft drink. When he got to the pickup window, he reached inside and took cash from an open cash register drawer.

"He did not display a weapon, but he was demanding and forceful," said Detective Eric Buschow of the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

The man drove away in a silver or graycolored Americanmade sedan and appeared at 5:15 a.m. at the Shell gas station at 56 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., where police say he selected several food items, put them on the counter and immediately reached across the counter and grabbed cash out of the open register drawer.

The robber is described as a white male about 6 feet tall, weighing between 200 and 220 pounds. He was wearing a black hooded sweat shirt, darkcolored pants and had a distinctive mark or blemish on his nose.

Police are asking anyone with information about these two robberies to contact Detective Javier Chavez at (805) 4948223.

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous.

The call isn't recorded.

Call Crime Stoppers at (805) 494-TALK (8255).

—Nancy Needham