Watch CBS News

Man Attacks Clerk After Robbing San Jose Liquor Store, Remains At Large

SANTA CLARA COUNTY (CBS SF) -- Santa Clara County sheriff's deputies are seeking a man who last week attacked a clerk at a liquor store and fled after stealing liquor and cigarettes, a sheriff's spokesman said Thursday.

On June 16 at 7:40 p.m., the man walked into the liquor store in the 400 block of Bascom Avenue in unincorporated San Jose, picked up a case of beer and went to the counter as if to pay for it, sheriff's Sgt. Kurtis Stenderup said.

The suspect then asked the checkout clerk how much a bottle of liquor cost and after the clerk turned to look up for the price, the suspect went behind the counter and grabbed cigarettes and liquor bottles, as shown in a surveillance video posted by the sheriff's office.

Liquor Store Robbery on Bascom Avenue by Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office on YouTube

When the clerk confronted the man, the suspect grabbed a bottle and raised it above his head to threaten the victim, according to the sheriff's office.

The suspect then began throwing bottles at the clerk, striking him several times, and as the victim tried to defend himself, the suspect started
punching him repeatedly.

After another customer came into the store and tried to stop the attack, the suspect fled with liquor and cigarettes and drove away in a white
car, Stenderup said.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic man who is about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighs 160 to 180 pounds with black curly hair in a ponytail and a mustache, and wore a backwards cap with "SF" written on it and a black T-shirt that said "CALI LIFE" on the front.

Sheriff's officials have released photos and video of the suspect and are asking for the public's help in identifying him.

Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact Detective Sgt. Brown with the sheriff's office at (408) 808-4431.

© Copyright 2014 by CBS San Francisco and Bay City News Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.