Pleasanton police release sketch of armed robbery suspect

Pleasanton, Calif. (KTVU) - Pleasanton Police released a sketch of a suspect they said is tied to two violent attacks against women in the parking lot of a popular East Bay mall. One of the victims was a 17-year-old girl and another victim was a 63-year-old.

"I grew up in Pleasanton," said Rebecca MacKenzie. "I've never heard of someone be robbed at Stoneridge before."

Police said around 1:30 p.m. Sunday, a 63-year-old woman was by her car when three men grabbed her purse. One of them had a gun believed to be either a rifle or shotgun. When she tried to get her purse back, she fell. One of the suspects then kicked here in the back.

"What kind of coward pushes down a 63-year-old woman down and then kicks her," said Phoebe Bell of Pleasanton. "That's disgracious, all they had to say was give me your purse, give your bags."

Fewer than 24 hours earlier, around 8 p.m. Saturday, police said that same group snatched a teenager's purse. She was punched in the face and pushed to the ground. The teen from Danville, according to social media posts, was with her high school friends to celebrate a birthday at Cheesecake Factory.

"It's very scary," said Rita Catania of Livermore. "It's unbelievable what's going on nowadays."

Police said the suspects are African American between the ages of 18 and 25.

Police describe the car in Sunday's robbery as a cream-colored Mercedes SUV, last seen heading westbound on Interstate 580. The car in Saturday's robbery is described as an older silver Honda Pilot.

"I'm hoping they catch these people and things get better," said Catania. "We have to have a lot of security out here so they can watch over the shoppers."

Police said they are upping patrols in light of these incidences.