Mission Viejo Nordstrom Robbed at Gunpoint, Suspect at Large

Mission Viejo Nordstrom Robbed at Gunpoint, Suspect at Large
An Orange County Sheriff's Department vehicle responds to a call in Stanton, Calif., on Aug. 5, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)
City News Service
9/12/2021
Updated:
9/12/2021

MISSION VIEJO, Calif.—An armed man wearing an orange or red wig and all-black clothing held up a Nordstrom store at the Shops at Mission Viejo Mall after closing time and got away before deputies arrived, authorities said today.

The robbery occurred at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the mall off Marguerite Parkway and Shops Boulevard, according to Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Carrie Braun. The store closed at 8 p.m.

The suspect brandished a weapon and fled with an unknown amount of cash, Braun said. No shots were fired. One person suffered a minor injury while attempting to flee the mall and was treated by Orange County Fire Authority paramedics.

Members of the sheriff’s SWAT team searched for the suspect in and around the mall and removed some people who had sheltered in place when they learned of the robbery, she said. Most of the shops inside the mall were closed at the time. Exterior shops and restaurants were open when the robbery occurred.

The suspect was described as a white man, approximately 20 to 30 years old, who was wearing an orange or red wig, black clothing and sunglasses.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect or robbery was urged to call OCSD dispatch at 949-770-6011 or OC Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS.