Watsonville police release video of brutal robbery attack

Watsonville police need the public’s help in catching suspects that violently beat a convenience store employee during an armed robbery. Investigators have released surveillance video from Sunday’s attack at La Tiendita Market.

The video shows two suspects entering the store. One of them attacks the male employee with a baseball bat, while the other goes straight for the cash register.

“Initially, they were flown out to a Bay Area trauma center for some severe
head injuries. But that victim has since been released from the hospital,” said Watsonville Police Sgt. Eric Montalbo.

On Monday, just down the street, another armed robbery occurred. The suspect entered a local laundromat and pulled a gun out on the store employee. While police don’t believe these robberies are connected, other local businesses said they’re stepping up security as more incidents like these occur.

“We have cameras here, we have cameras outside of the car wash. Inside we have surveillance cameras watching here,” said Christina Toscano, a gas station employee.

Toscano works at a gas station on Green Valley Road. She said she’s not scared being the only woman on duty because her store has a deal with the local law enforcement – trading car washes for more police presence.

“We get them a couple of times here once a week for their car washes and they take a look around as well so it keeps everything here safe,” said Toscano.

Toscano said the gas station she works at was robbed a year ago, prompting the owners to make some changes in staffing.

“We do have male people working the graveyard shift for a little more precaution, and a little more safety,” said Toscano.

But police said the most important thing a business can do is invest in high quality surveillance systems.

“Unfortunately, a lot of our stores have outdated video surveillance, and it makes it really difficult for us to solve crimes,” said Montalbo.

There was another employee inside La Tiendita market at the time of the robbery. Police said she was not injured.