Fresno clerk rebuffs robber’s demands, thief swipes backpack instead

A robber armed with a handgun demanded cash and was turned away Monday by a textbook store clerk near Fresno State, police said. The thief opted instead to run out of the store – swiping a backpack and a baseball cap on his way out.

Fresno police Lt. Joe Gomez said the suspect walked into the Bulldog Fan Zone, formerly Sequoia Textbooks, on Shaw Avenue around 11:30 a.m. He was carrying a backpack and appeared to be shopping before he pulled out a gun and demanded money. When he was denied, the robber shoved his gun back into his backpack, grabbed the merchandise and ran out of the store towards Sierra Madre Avenue.

Police did not find the suspect. He was described as a medium-built Hispanic or white man around 30 years old and 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall. He had a shaved head with a tattoo on the left side of his head and neck and a long goatee. He was last seen wearing a gray T-shirt and light-colored blue jeans. He carried a backpack and a silver handgun with a wooden handle.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 559-498-STOP.

This story was originally published May 2, 2016 at 3:29 PM with the headline "Fresno clerk rebuffs robber’s demands, thief swipes backpack instead."