Orange County

Caught on Camera: Man Assaults Store Clerk After Card Declined While Buying M&M's

"It just came up that it was non-sufficient funds to buy a 75 cent bag of M&M's"

Detectives are searching for a man who became "violent and destructive" after his credit card was declined while buying a bag of candy at an Orange County convenience store.

On Wednesday, the Santa Ana Police Department released surveillance video of the Feb. 11 attack.

The video shows the man arguing with a clerk after his card was declined at a Santa Ana 7-Eleven. The clerk told the man he couldn't take the bag of M&M's because the card was declined.

"How do we know the card wasn't stolen? We don't at this point. I mean it wasn't reported," said Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department. "It just came up that it was non-sufficient funds to buy a 75 cent bag of M&M's."

That's when the argument turned violent.

The suspect is seen striking the cashier in the head. Next, he pushes a cash register and printer off the counter. And, on his way out, he throws bananas at the second cashier and pushes the other register off the counter.

Police estimate the damage caused to the store's registers and printers is around $700.

Authorities believe the man was with another customer in the store, but they can't track him easily because only the last four digits of his card are in the computer since it was declined.

He is described as a white male with short black hair between 30 and 35 years old with a light complexion. He is between 5 feet 10 inches and 5 feet 11 inches tall, with a medium to heavy build, weighing around 180 to 200 pounds.

The suspect was last seen wearing black prescription glasses, a green fleece sweatshirt, and jeans at the time of the assault.

Anyone with information on the suspect's identity is asked to contact Investigator Laura Delisle at 714-245-8647 or email ldelisle@santa-ana.org.

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