53-year-old woman robbed of cash, flower bouquets in Oakland, police say
OAKLAND – A 53-year-old woman selling Valentine’s Day flowers in East Oakland was robbed at gun point Friday night of cash and some bouquets, authorities said.
The woman was not injured and a suspect was later arrested.
The robbery happened at around 7:05 p.m. Friday near the intersection of 54th Avenue and International Boulevard, officials said. According to initial police reports, a car pulled up to the scene and a man and woman got out. The man pointed a gun at the female victim and demanded money from her, police said. The suspects then fled in the vehicle with about $300 in cash and five bouquets of flowers, according to police.
Police said they were able to trace the vehicle allegedly involved to the 2000 block of 57th avenue. A 21-year-old man who lived in a residence there was arrested after he got into the vehicle. Authorities said they recovered some of the flower bouquets. The man was booked at Santa Rita jail on suspicion of robbery and was being held in lieu of a $100,000 bail.
The female suspect is still being sought, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call investigators at 510-238-3326.
The incident marked the third robbery in three days where women have been targeted by robbers in Oakland. A 73-year-old woman was struck on the head with a pistol and had her purse stolen in a parking lot Wednesday afternoon in the 6200 block of Antioch Street in the Montclair district. And a 76-year-old woman was hospitalized Thursday after she was shoved to the pavement by a robber who stole a bracelet and cash from her in the 4500 block of Bond Street, not far from High Street.
Authorities said the robberies are not related.