Westlake clerk wrestles knife away from would-be robber
The Los Angeles Police Department needs your help finding a suspect in a vicious armed robbery.
The suspect is accused of holding a young woman at knifepoint at a market on James Wood Boulevard in Westlake. The clerk at the market said it was a terrifying moment when the man tried to rob her.
"It's really [scary]," she said. "I think all people [are scared] when [seeing] knives or guns or something like that."
The young woman asked KCAL News to not use her name or face during her interview but said the man demanded the money in the register and threatened to kill her if she said anything.
"It's super, super [scary] to me because I don't see nothing when he put the nails in my tummy," the clerk said.
The terrified woman screamed with the knife pressed against her body, but mustered up the courage and strength to take the knife away from the would-be robber before chasing him out of the store.
"That's my reaction to do," she said. "He just ran. He just ran."
The clerk, who had only been working at Amayas Market for about a month, sustained cuts on her hands. Despite her wounds, she said she will be OK.
"I'm angry with him," the clerk said. "I want to find him."
The owner of the market Rene Amaya said there has been instances of petty theft in the past but nothing as violent as this encounter.
According to Amaya, the would-be robber had been a paying customer just a few minutes before the incident. However, the suspect lingered around when he saw another customer make a cash wire transfer.
"He wanted to get all the money because it was a huge amount of money we were transferring," he said.
Amaya said the suspect left and returned to the store five minutes later holding a plastic bag with the knife inside.
Police don't have any information on this suspect. Anyone with information are urged to contact the Rampart Police station. Those wanting to stay anonymous to Crime Stoppers here.
"Don't do this (to) any stores no more," she said.