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A man with a black, semiautomatic handgun held up proprietors of the Valencia Market at 3487 El Camino Real in Palo Alto Saturday shortly before 8:40 p.m., fleeing the shop with cash from the register, Palo Alto police reported Sunday, Aug. 26.

There were no customers inside at the time, and no one was injured in the robbery, the police stated in a press release.

Officers responded to the 9-1-1 call but were unable to find the gunman, who had fled southbound on the sidewalk. He may have gotten into a newer, shiny, black vehicle parked in the alley to the rear of the business. That vehicle left the scene at a high rate of speed, according to police.

The robber was described by the shop owners as a Hispanic male in his forties, about 5 feet 7 inches tall and about 220 pounds, wearing a light blue, button-up, long-sleeve shirt with dark blue jeans and a plain black baseball cap.

He entered the market, pointed the gun at the owners and demanded money. The victims complied, and the gunman left the market.

The police expect to release a sketch of the robber within the next two days.

Police detectives are actively investigating this robbery and are working with other agencies to determine if this robbery is linked to any others.

In June 2011, the market – then known as Eli's Market -- was similarly robbed of cash at gunpoint. At the time, it was the second armed robbery in the city in two days.

No arrests have been made in the 2011 case, police said. Detectives are examining the possibility of any link between the two market hold-ups.

Police are asking that anyone with information about this incident call the department's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.

— Palo Alto Weekly staff

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