PETALUMA – In a press release issued earlier today, Thursday October 23, the Petaluma Police Department asked the public for assistance in identifying a robbery suspect caught on surveillance tape.
On October 17 at approximately 1:30 pm the suspect entered Friedman’s Home Improvement store at 429 North McDowell Boulevard and filled a shopping cart with several high-end power tools and left the premises through the nursery department without paying for them.
An employee from the store followed the man out into the parking lot when the suspect started running while pushing the cart through the lot. The Friedman’s employee began yelling at the suspect, which attracted several customers in joining in the pursuit of the thief. The customers overpowered the suspect taking control of the cart with the stolen merchandise as the suspect then ran off.
The suspect ran south on North McDowell Boulevard and is believed to have jumped into a vehicle that had just exited the parking lot. The suspect is described as a white male adult and was last seen wearing a baseball cap, a black jacket, tan pants and white tennis shoes. The vehicle involved is described as a black, 2-door Ford Explorer.
All of the tools were returned to the store by the customers, which had an estimated value of over $1800. Petaluma PD asks anyone with information about this suspect to contact the department at 707-778-4372 or via their Anonymous Tip Line at (885) 847-7247.
