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LONG BEACH, Calif. – A Long Beach food truck employee is back at work just days after he was attacked during a robbery, and police are still looking for the suspect. It’s the second time they’ve been robbed in less than six months.
It happened just before 8:30 p.m. on May 2, at the Los Bros Taco truck near E. 7th Street and Junipero Avenue. According to the Long Beach Police Department, two suspects walked up to Erick Flores and ordered food. Then, one of them grabbed him and attacked.
“One of them ordered food while the other was just standing by, and as soon as they saw me pulling out his change, he decided to come up and snatch the money away from my hand,” Flores said. He tried to hold onto the cash, but ‘that’s when he started pummeling me with his fists,” Flores said. “I fell, and he kept on hitting me on my face.”
Flores’ nose was broken in the attack, and the thieves made off with his cherished silver chain.
“That chain was given to me by my uncle like six, seven years ago, so it had some sentiment to it,” Flores said. “I had never taken that chain off.”
The two suspects ran off before the police got there. Surveillance photos shared on Los Tacos’ Instagram page showed the two suspects — one in an all-black outfit and another in an all-red outfit, both with hoods up.
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The food truck said Thursday night’s attack was the second one against their business in less than six months. Back in December, gun-wielding thieves climbed in through the back door, assaulting an employee and demanding money.
Jimmy Saxton was one of several residents who stopped by the truck on Saturday to show support for the family-owned business.
“It’s just sad,” he said. “…We believe in hard-working people and I can tell they’re hard-working people, and I’m a hard-working man. I’ve got a family of my own. I [saw] it on the news and I wanted to come support them, that’s all.”
Los Tacos is raising money to help pay for Flores’ medical bills. More information on that fundraiser can be found by tapping or clicking here.
Police are still looking for the suspects.
Of the attackers, Flores said, “I just hope they make something [of] themselves. Help others instead of trying to take and destroy what other people are building.”
He said he’s just happy his mom wasn’t working the night of the attack.
“Some parts I feel angry, but other parts I feel grateful that I’m not dead,” Flores said. “I’m still here, and I can still keep helping out the family and grow the business.”
(source)