Two subjects entered the restaurant, one pointed a gun at employees, and they emptied the safe

On Thursday (Feb. 23) just before 3 a.m., Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a duress alarm that was triggered at the Taco Bell located at 13204 NE Highway 99 in Vancouver. 

While deputies were still en route, a 9-1-1 call was placed from the 7-Eleven located just south of the Taco Bell. The caller identified themselves as a Taco Bell employee and reported they had just been robbed at gunpoint. 

A preliminary investigation revealed the three employees in the Taco Bell had observed two subjects approaching the lobby doors to the store while donning masks. One of the employees attempted to lock the doors but was unable to reach it in time. The two male subjects entered the store and were described as follows:

• Subject No. 1 – White male, appearing in his 20’s, wearing all black clothing, a black ski mask, and a black backpack. Further described as having short blond hair, light blue eyes, and long eyelashes.

• Subject No. 2 – White male, appearing in his late 40’s to 50’s, wearing a dark colored ball cap and a mustache. Further described as wearing all dark clothing with a wallet chain hanging from his right side. 

The younger male was reported to have produced a firearm and pointed it at the employees. The suspects ordered the employees to the floor and left two of the employees on the ground while ordering the third to open the safe. After emptying the safe, the suspects demanded the employees produce both store phones. They finally demanded each of the employees’ personal phones. 

Witnesses and the victims reported the suspects fled on foot to the Billygan’s Roadhouse restaurant nearby where they entered an older model, dark colored pickup with a matching color canopy and bearing unknown Oregon license plates. The vehicle may be similar to a mid-90’s Ford F-150. 

This case is being actively investigated by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Anyone who has information which may be related to this incident is requested to contact Deputy Elijah Page at elijah.page@clark.wa.gov or call 3-1-1. 

Information provided by Clark County Sheriff’s Office.