Armed Robbery Occurs at University Avenue Train Station

Published on December 21, 2021

Palo Alto, CA – Two suspects, one of whom was armed with a handgun, robbed a woman of her backpack and other belongings this afternoon at the University Avenue train station.  The victim was not injured.  The suspects fled in a car and are at large.

On Tuesday, December 21, 2021, at about 4:17 p.m., our 24-hour dispatch center received a call from a woman in her twenties reporting that she had just been robbed at gunpoint at the University Avenue train station at 95 University Avenue.  Officers responded immediately but were not able to locate the suspects.

The investigation revealed that the victim had been standing near the train platform by the bus turnaround when two suspects brandished a black handgun at her.  They took her backpack, credit cards, a portable charger, and the Nike tennis shoes she was wearing.  A bystander, a woman in her eighties, tried to help but stopped when the suspect pointed the gun at her as well.  The suspects then ran to a white four-door Nissan sedan, which was last seen heading towards University Circle.  Neither victim was physically injured.

The victim described the suspects as two Hispanic males, each about 25 years old and wearing black shirts and face coverings.

Detectives are actively investigating this incident.  There have been no similar crimes in the recent past at Palo Alto transit stations. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.  Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.