Around 4:30 am on August 14th, Fresno County Sheriff dispatchers received a call that a security alarm was going off at Hansen’s Grocery and the store was on fire. Firefighters responded to the corner of McKinley and Bryan Avenues where they put out the fire.
The store owner later arrived and reviewed surveillance video captured by his cameras. It showed two men trying to kick open the front door, as well as using a Nissan pickup truck up to ram the security screen door. The suspects were able to break through the front door, get into the store and steal many packs of cigarettes. They ran out of the store and left the pickup behind. Meanwhile, a different pickup truck, driven by a possible third suspect, pulled up and took the two suspects away. A few minutes after leaving, the Nissan pickup caught fire and the flames spread to the store. The pickup was a total loss and the building suffered major damage.
The burned pickup was determined to be stolen from an owner in the City of Fresno.
Sheriff’s detectives are working with fire investigators to try and determine the cause of the blaze.
There is no information to show this case is connected an armed robbery on July 12th that occurred at this same store.
If you have any information about the suspects in this case, please contact Detective Christopher Centeno at (559) 600-8058. You may also contact Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-7867 or www.valleycrimestoppers.org You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.
