Police search for 3 in Phoenix street food vendor robberies

PHOENIX - Detectives are working to identify and locate a group of suspects who are robbing mobile food vendors throughout Phoenix.

Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said the three have robbed vendors who set up next to catering trucks selling fast food such as hot dogs and Mexican food.

Thompson said a female suspect is often sent in first to contact the victims and order food.

The male suspects, one or both armed with handguns, then come up and rob the vendors.

There is no specific pattern of locations as the suspects have targeted vendors throughout Phoenix, Thompson said. They've hit 10 such places since December 19.

Police say a woman will go up and order food and then two armed men will approach and rob them.

"There really isn't much money in them," said Hermann Riveria who owns Nogales Hot Dogs. Three of his employees were victimized by the trio.

"I had one woman who was robbed near 27th Avenue and McDowell quit because she was so afraid after having the gun pointed in her stomach."

Police say the description of the female suspect is very distinct. She is Hispanic and usually wears her brown hair pulled up and a section of it appears to have been bleached. She has a tattoo on the left side of her neck. She is very small and is between 16 and 18 years old.

The description of the two males is more vague; Hispanic males 20- to 30-years-old usually wearing a "hoodie" type shirt or sweatshirt.

Thompson said it appears the suspects speak both English and Spanish.

Anyone with information concerning the incidents or knows the suspects is urged to call the Phoenix Police Department Violent Crimes Bureau at 602-262-6141, Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS, or for Spanish 480-TESTIGO, to remain anonymous.