Crime in Carlsbad: Gas Station Clerk Held Up at Gunpoint and Carjacking Victim's Face Struck

Updated 10:15 p.m. Wednesday

A thief threatened a clerk with a gun Wednesday while robbing the AM PM Arco in the 1900 block of Palomar Airport Road in Carlsbad.

The victim told investigating officers the bandit, a thin blond man in his mid-20s to early 30s, entered the business about 2:15 a.m., pointed a gun at his head and demanded cash, Carlbad police Sgt. Jade Chase said.

After the employee turned over an undisclosed amount of money, the robber fled the area on foot. Patrol personnel searched the area with a service dog but were unable to find the thief.

In a separate incldent, a carjacking victim was hit in the head Sunday at the 3400 block of Monroe Street around 5:18 a.m. The victim told Officer Cobian that he just arrived home from work and parked his Pontiac minivan. When he exited his vehicle the suspect contacted him and asked him for money. The victim told the suspect that he did not have any money. The suspect struck the victim on the right side of his face in the area of his temple and eye causing swelling and bruising, before taking the car keys.

Coronado Police found the car the following day in the city of Coronado. The vehicle was recovered and the investigation is ongoing.

–City News Service and Carlsbad Police contributed to this report