Covina police this week captured a Los Angeles man allegedly caught on camera with another person robbing a check cashing business more than two months ago, but his partner in the brazen daytime attack is still on the loose.
The pair donned security uniforms when they went into the Check Into Cash business at 517 N. Azusa Ave. in Covina on March 18 at 2:15 p.m. armed with handguns and demanded money from the employees, police said.
The men tied up three of the employees with zip ties and forced them into the backroom, police said.
"We saw some security guards, thought they were just, you know, the regular guys, gave them a wave," said Adrian Cruz, who works next door and remembered seeing the two men. "Next thing we know, we saw the cops."
Surveillance video captured the robbery — and the employees' fear.
"When you see the video and you see the panic in employees' face(s), you can just put yourself in their position and you feel bad for them," Covina Police Sgt. Gregg Peterson said. "They're just there earning their wages, they didn't sign up to have guns pointed at them in fear for their life."
The robbers escaped with $7,800 in cash and items belonging to the employees, officials said.
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Peterson said facial recognition software picked up on one of the suspects, seen in the video touching a security camera.
Covina detectives identified 27-year-old Brian Lamar Lemle, a documented 83rd Street Crips gang member from Los Angeles as a suspect in the crime. He was arrested at an LA park on Thursday and booked on suspicion of robbery, police said.
Peterson hopes someone will recognize the second man seen in the video.
"The suspect who we're looking for seems to be the leader. He was the first one to go into the business, he's the one who pulled out the gun, he's the one who corralled everyone into the backroom," Peterson said. "We believe he's just as violent, if not more violent than the person we have in custody."
Anyone with information should call the Covina Police Department Detective Bureau at 626-384-5615, the watch commander at 626-384-5665 or Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477). Refer to Covina police case # 15-1536.
