WEST HOLLYWOOD—The Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division Robbery Special Section is asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating a serial robber responsible for 10 robberies at Subway restaurants in the San Fernando Valley that transpired from June 28 to August 30.
According to the LAPD website, on Thursday, August 30, detectives arrested Frank Sanabria, 37, from Canoga Park and Stephanie Villareal, 36, from North Hills. Both were identified as suspects in six robberies at Subway restaurants and seven additional robberies at gas station mini marts throughout the San Fernando Valley. On September 4, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Sanabria with 10 counts of robbery and Villareal with five counts of robbery.
Four Subway robberies in the San Fernando Valley are still unsolved. Detectives believe this suspect at large is responsible for four Subway robberies and three liquor store robberies that occurred during a two-day period.
On August 5, the suspect entered a liquor store in the 4000 block of Fulton Avenue. The suspect asked the clerk to see a bottle of liquor from behind the counter. When the clerk handed over the liquor, he ran from the store with the bottle. On August 6, the suspect committed five armed robberies in Hollywood, West Hollywood and in the San Fernando Valley. On August 7, the suspect returned to the liquor store on Fulton Avenue in Van Nuys and attempted to rob the establishment at gunpoint. The suspect committed two robberies at Subway restaurants afterwards.
Detectives released videos of one of the Subway robberies, the attempt robbery of a liquor store, and the theft that occurred at the same liquor store.
The suspect is described as a Caucasian male, possibly Armenian, with black hair, brown eyes, standing 5 feet and 10 inches to 5 feet and 11 inches tall. He weighs 160-170 pounds and is between the ages of 20-25. The suspect used a grey semi-auto handgun.
The robberies transpired at the following locations:
-August 6 8:00 p.m. Liquor store 7000 block of Santa Monica Boulevard (LASD West Hollywood Area)
-August 6 8:30 p.m. Liquor store 1700 block of N. Highland
-August 6 8:40 p.m. Subway 8000 block of Laurel Canyon
-August 6 8:45 p.m. Liquor store 13000 block of Roscoe Boulevard
-August 6 9:35 p.m. Subway 4000 block of Laurel Canyon Boulevard
-August 7 5:55 p.m. Liquor store 4000 block of Fulton Avenue
-August 7 6:00 p.m. Subway 13000 block of Burbank Boulevard
-August 7 6:30 p.m. Subway 12000 block of Burbank Boulevard
Anyone with details on the suspect or the robberies is asked to contact the Robbery-Homicide Division, Robbery Special Section at (213) 486-6840. During non-business hours or on weekends, contact 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call the LA Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477) or go directly to www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Tipsters may also visit www.lapdonline.org, and click on “Anonymous Web Tips” under the “Get Involved-Crime Stoppers” menu to submit an online tip. Tipsters can download the “P3 Tips” mobile application and select the LA Regional Crime Stoppers as their local program.
