Police have released a sketch of a suspect in a Los Alamitos home invasion robbery.
A woman was struck in the head, bound and gagged during a home invasion robbery that apparently occurred at about 2 a.m., Friday, June 7.
The crime occurred in a two-story apartment on Howard Avenue, according to the Los Alamitos Police Department. A second resident of the home was in an upstairs bedroom during the attack and was unaware of her roommate’s plight. Police believe that the suspect in all likelihood did not know the second woman was in the apartment.
The victim was in her living room watching television as the lone male attacker entered the first floor apartment through an open bathroom window. The suspect approached the victim from behind and struck her in the head with a blunt object. The strike disoriented her and it is believed she may have lost temporary consciousness. The suspect, who was wearing gloves, covered the victim’s mouth and told her not to look at him and to not move. He demanded money, but the victim said she did not have any. The victim was gagged and her hands were restrained behind her back.
The suspect then forced her to lay face down on a couch. Once the victim was immobilized, the suspect rummaged through the apartment and located the victim’s purse, notebook computer, and keys in her second floor bedroom. When the suspect stopped paying attention to the victim, she freed her hands from behind her back and escaped through the front door. She took her cell phone as she ran away and used it to call 911 once she found a safe location. The suspect fled the apartment, and did not chase the victim. Los Alamitos Police officers arrived at the crime scene within three minutes of the victim’s 911 call; Cypress and Seal Beach officers helped Los Alamitos Police to search the area.
The suspect as described by the victim is an athletic white man, 30 to 40 years old; wearing a light colored sweatshirt, light colored beanie, and pants. He is approximately 5 feet 7 to inches tall and weighs about 170 pounds. The suspect wore glasses and gloves during the crime. The victim was transported to and released from the Los Alamitos Medical Center after being treated at the scene by the Orange County Fire Authority. The victim sustained a 4 to 5 inch laceration to her head. There was no attempt to sexually assault the victim and she told police she believes she can identify the suspect.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Detective Dan Brandt of the Los Alamitos Detective Bureau at (562) 431-2255, extension 406.
