Alert Market Workers Foil Robbery Attempt

Alert employees foiled an attempted robbery Monday morning at a South Los Angeles market, putting one suspect in custody, said police officials. Two suspects remain at large.

Three armed men in their early 20s entered the Ralphs market at South Vermont Avenue and 120th Street and allegedly acted in a suspicious manner, said Officer Edward Funes.

When police arrived within minutes after receiving a 7:40 a.m. call, the suspects attempted to flee. One was caught at the scene.

Another suspect, driving a late-model white Oldsmobile, led police on a short high-speed chase from the market to 121th and Main streets. After the suspect abandoned the car, he fled on foot and eluded police.

“He was driving like a madman in a residential district,” Funes said.

Concerned that one suspect remained in the supermarket, officers called in a Special Weapons and Tactics team to search the store and the surrounding area, Funes said. The team left about 11:30 a.m. after failing to locate any additional suspects.

The market reopened around noon, store representatives said.