Ramona Store Owners Get Prevention Tips After Five Armed Robberies

A Sheriff's crime prevention specialist is distributing a brochure to Ramona store owners to offer safety and prevention tips, in the wake of five armed robberies at four stores since July.

Robberies have occurred at Ransom Brothers Lumber & Supply on B Street, Los Rancheros Taco Shop and Ramona Lisa Beer and Wine on Main Street and Diamond-D Feed and Supply on D Street.

Det. Thomas Seiver at the Ramona Sheriff's substation told Patch that all five of the robberies are believed to be related. The suspects are believed to be two Hispanic males in their 20s, he said.

The substation's crime prevention specialist is passing out a brochure called "The Hold-Up Handbook; Your Guide to Robbery Prevention." It states that the best prevention method is to call the Sheriff's Department for a security consultation. It also provides pictures of weapons so that people describe any gun used in a robbery. Other tips include having two people open and close out the store each time and varying the day and time on which deposits are made to the bank.

The brochure also advises staff not to resist or try to be a hero and not to follow robbers out of the store.

Seiver said the suspects have used weapons ranging from a semi-automatic to a revolver in the Ramona incidents.

He said the Ramona Lisa owner sustained minor injuries when a robber poked him in the leg a couple of times with a knife while the other robber took items from his pockets.

The Ransom Brothers robbery involved just one suspect believed to be one of the two involved in the other hold-ups, Seiver said.

The suspects are described as one man in his mid-20s, 5' 9" and medium build, and another in his early 20s, 5' 6" and thin build.

Information about the robberies can be left anonymously at Crime Stoppers, 888-580-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest.