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SUNNY Temp: 56 °F Wind: N at 4 mph Tuesday, February 25, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend February 14, 2003 Phoenix-Portland robberies might be linked, police believe Three men who held up a Portland business could be suspects in the La Tapatia heist By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune Phoenix police are investigating whether armed men who robbed La Tapatia Feb. 6 might be linked to a similar robbery that happened the next night near Portland. On Feb. 6 at about 5:30 p.m., three Hispanic men entered the Phoenix store, which sells Mexican food and products and offers money-wiring services at 125 S. Main St. They ordered food at the back of the store, then demanded the store’s owners hand over cash and jewelry. They herded workers and customers into a bathroom at gunpoint and escaped into the dark with their order of food and about $50,000. The next evening at about 9, two Hispanic men robbed a small market near Portland that serves the Hispanic community and offers money-wiring services, Phoenix police Chief Robert Kershaw said. They forced a woman employee and a customer into a back room at gunpoint and took about $10,000 from a safe before disappearing. "We don’t know if they are connected, but there are a lot of similarities." Both businesses serve a mostly Hispanic clientele, wire money abroad and are near Interstate 5. In both robberies, Spanish-speaking men with handguns forced employees and customers into a back room and told them to wait there while they escaped with cash, he said. Phoenix police have sent photos from a La Tapatia security camera to Multnomah County officials to see if witnesses there recognize the suspects. The first suspect is about 5-10, 220 looks 30 to 35 years old. He wore a dark jacket with a white stripe around the chest and a dark baseball cap with the letter "I" or "L" on the front. The second suspect is about 5-5, 150 and looks between 25 and 28. He had a thick mustache and wore a dark jacket and a dark leather baseball cap with a backward letter "D" on the front. He showed a black, semi-automatic pistol, police said. No photo is available. The third suspect is about 6 feet, 250 and looks 28 to 30 years old. He had a mustache and goatee and wore a green vinyl jacket and a dark baseball cap. He showed a black revolver. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S