Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office releases pictures of Buddha Bowls Robber
ISLA VISTA, Calif. - On January 8, a man entered the Buddha Bowls on Embarcadero Del Mar and demanded money while showing the clerk a handgun tucked into his waistband. Now, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office released surveillance video and pictures of the suspect in hopes of identifying him.
The man is described as being either Hispanic, Black or Pacific Islander. He looks to be between 25 and 40 years old with a large build, weighing around 220 pounds.
The incident occurred around 4:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
After the suspect demanded money and showed the clerk his gun, he reached over the counter and grabbed cash from the register. Deputies said the suspect then ran out of the store headed south down Embarcadero Del Mar.
In the surveillance video, you can see the suspect casing the area for several minutes prior to committing the robbery.
The video shows the man walking with a wide gait and swinging his arms dramatically in a strutting manner.
He was wearing dark tennis shoes with white trim, a dark zip-up hooded sweatshirt with a white undershirt and a dark distinctive "bucket hat."
The Sheriff's Office requests that anyone with information about this crime, or an idea of the identity of the suspect, email Detective Maxwell at mrm4949@sbsheriff.org. You can also contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s anonymous tip line at (805) 681-4171 or visit their website.