VENTURA : Motel Holdup Added to Robbery String

Ventura police have added an eighth armed robbery to a string of nighttime holdups they are investigating on the city’s east side.

The most recent robbery occurred about 9:50 p.m. Sunday at Motel 6, 3075 Johnson Drive. A suspect wearing a bandanna over his face pointed a handgun at the clerk and forced him to empty the register. The suspect also ordered a motel customer to lie on the lobby floor.

The robber then ran outside and joined an accomplice who had waited outside the lobby. Police searched the area but could not find the suspects.

Witnesses told police that both suspects appeared to be between 14 and 16 years old.

Since Dec. 2, eight commercial businesses in east Ventura have been the targets of armed robberies or robbery attempts. Six of the businesses were fast-food or pizza delivery places.

Ventura Police Sgt. Bob Anderson said police do not know the identities of the suspects and are releasing little information about their descriptions.

“The more we say, the more this guy is going to take the hint and split,” Anderson said. “We want to catch this guy.”