Armed bandits strike at Fresno Pier 1, make off with cash and employee wallet

Two armed bandits struck the Pier 1 Imports store in north Fresno early Thursday, making off with cash as employees were getting ready to open the store.

Sgt. Bob Reynolds said that detectives are checking nearby stores for video evidence of the robbery. There were also video cameras in the store.

The robbery took place just before 9 a.m. at North Blackstone and West Alluvial avenues.

Reynolds said employees were receiving merchandise brought in by a truck when the bandits forced their way through a door. One of the men brandished a gun and forced an employee to open a safe. An amount of cash estimated to be under $1,000 was taken. An employee was also robbed of a wallet.

The pair fled west on Alluvial in a silver car.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 559-798-7867.

This story was originally published January 23, 2020 at 11:44 AM.