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Ventura
Police describe two robberies as similar
Two Ventura stores have been robbed in similar fashion by a gunman, police said Thursday.
The first robbery occurred at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Circle K market, 1007 E. Main St.
A man wearing dark sunglasses entered the store, brandished a handgun at the clerk and demanded money, police said.
The robber left the store after the clerk gave him an undisclosed amount of money. No one was hurt.
Four hours later, a man wearing a black ski mask robbed H&H Liquor at 1839 E. Main St., police said.
The man entered the store at 10:19 p.m., showed that he had a gun and demanded money. He left after the clerk gave him an undisclosed amount of money. No one was hurt.
Ventura police have not arrested any suspects in the robberies, Lt. Ray Vance said Thursday.
Police have not determined if both crimes were committed by the same person, but the robbers described in each case were about the same size, and the gun used was similar, Vance said.
"We're thinking they might be related," he said.
Police asked anyone with information about the crimes to call 339-4394 or make an anonymous call to 385-TALK.
El Rio
Patrols increased after man hugs schoolgirls
Ventura County Sheriff's Department officials are asking the public to be wary this week after a man approached two 7-year-old girls, spoke to them and hugged them outside Rio Real School in El Rio.
The girls continued walking to school after the Wednesday morning incident and the man left the area.
Rio Real Principal Andres Sanchez said a parent saw the man hugging one of the children, but the man ran off before he could be apprehended.
"The children then ran to the playground supervisor, and I was immediately called," Sanchez said.
Sheriff's deputies were unable to locate the man, but have stepped up patrols in the area.
Sanchez said witnesses described the man as 5-foot-2 with a slight mustache, wearing blue jeans, a blue coat and a baseball cap.
Parents were notified of the incident, Sanchez said. Residents are asked to report any unusual incidents to police.
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