Armed robber worries shoppers and business owners in NW Fresno

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Valley shoppers and business owners are worried an armed robber who hit two stores in one shopping center may strike again. Police believe the same man robbed the Subway and Save Mart in Northwest Fresno last week.

Police say the robber who entered the Save Mart in Northwest Fresno was wearing his complete disguise when he walked right up to a teller at the Union Bank inside.

Lt. Mark Salazar with the Fresno Police Department said, "We think it's the same guy. The body type, not the same clothes but the body type, his movements and what he has said so far- we think it's the same guy."

The armed man got away with an undisclosed amount of money and left in a van with no license plate. Last Friday, almost right next door, Gabriela Perez was working at Subway when she described a similar, frightening robbery at gunpoint.

Perez said, "This guy just came in, showed me a gun, told me to open the register, so I did and he just took out the money."

Detectives say he only got away with a few hundred dollars. Perez was alone in the store at the time and completely caught off-guard. Since it was before the lunch rush- she found it rather odd that he would be robbing a sandwich shop.

Perez explained, "I don't know what the guy was thinking, you know, we don't do much business in the morning at 9 o'clock, so I don't know."

Erika Linke owns Primp Salon a few doors down. She says the time of day the robber is striking has everyone on edge.

Linke explained, "Also, they seem to be happening in the morning, so that's kinda off and dangerous so you just don't know what is going to happen, when it's going to happen, who it's going to happen to so we have to be on guard."

To make customers feel secure, Linke has hired a man dressed in motorcycle attire as security to walk around and keep an eye out for anything suspicious. Union Bank also has a security guard that is now standing outside Save Mart.

Fresno police say the suspect drove a white compact car during the Subway robbery. Even though they have good video, the robber has not been identified. Police say he walks with purpose and doesn't waste time getting in and out of the businesses.

Investigators have undercover officers working the area and searching lists of those on parole and probation trying to track down the suspect before he hits another business.

Officers say no stolen vehicles match the description of the cars the suspect has been using. He also wears gloves during the robberies, so he isn't leaving any prints behind.