This is a story from the "The Union" newspaper in Nevada City, CA.
If you were the store owner, would you have allowed the BG's to escape?
Teens sought in store robbery
3 youths reportedly used guns during Camptonville theft
By Robyn Moormeister
February 2, 2006
Three men who reportedly robbed the Lost Nugget Market in Camptonville at gunpoint Wednesday afternoon may still be in the area, said the Yuba County Undersheriff Wednesday.
The men are described to be in their late teens, all with black hair and brown eyes, and driving a light blue Chevrolet Astro van.
"They were last seen southbound on Highway 49," said Yuba County Undersheriff Steve Durfor. "We are monitoring the highway and the surrounding area."
The men used an automatic handgun to take approximately $600 from store owner Randy Rizzo at the store on the 16000 block of Highway 49.
No one was hurt in the robbery, and no shots were fired, Durfor said.
Store co-owner Randy Rizzo said the men appeared to be observing the store for "a while" from their van parked outside before they entered the store at approximately 12:40 p.m.
Rizzo said he could see the men with a camera positioned outside.
Two of the men reportedly went to a cooler and picked out some soda before joining the third man at the store's counter.
Rizzo said the men were speaking to each other in Spanish and that one man said in "broken English" he picked out the wrong soda, returned to the cooler, and got another soda.
When all three men had gathered at the counter, one pulled out an automatic handgun and pointed it at Rizzo.
"I thought it was a toy gun at first," Rizzo said. "I was about to tell him to put it away."
That's when the man said clearly, "Give me your money," Rizzo said.
"I was angry," Rizzo said. "I was so (mad)."
He said he opened the register and began slowly handing the men $20 bills. The men became impatient, however, and grabbed the rest of the money in the register.
Rizzo said as the men turned to leave, he contemplated shooting them with his own loaded revolver he keeps behind the store counter, but he thought he might get into trouble if he did.
Rizzo dialed 911 and was on the phone with the sheriff's office before the men were out of sight, driving south on Highway 49. He said this is the first time he has been robbed since he began running the store with his brother 19 years ago.
In a joint effort, Yuba County Sheriff's Office, Nevada County Sheriff's Office and California Highway Patrol units from Grass Valley and the Yuba/Sutter area patrolled the area extensively, searching for the suspects, Durfor said.
As a precaution, Pleasant Valley Elementary School in Penn Valley was put on temporary lock down by Nevada County authorities. Between 1:51 p.m. and approximately 2:30 p.m., no one was allowed to leave the school or enter the school.
Durfor said the suspects were never spotted by law enforcement Wednesday, though deputies familiar with the area will continue to search for the suspects.
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To contact staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail
[email protected] or call 477-4236.
