Authorities have asked for the public’s help in identifying a pair of robbers who stabbed two men, severely wounding one of them, during a daylight holdup outside Presidio Park Recreation Center.

The victims were seated on a bench near the 2800 block of Jackson Street in Old Town about 2:45 p.m. March 10 when the bandits approached and demanded cigarettes, according to San Diego police. When the victims replied that they didn’t have any, the robbers attacked them and stole a wallet from one of them.

After the attack, the robbers – short-haired Hispanic men who appeared to be in their late teens or 20s – ran through nearby Presidio Hills Golf Course, possibly toward Old Town Transit Center.

Medics took the victims to a hospital, where one underwent a series of surgeries and remains in critical condition, police said.

The robbers were described as thin, clean-shaven and about 5 feet 8 inches tall. One was dressed in tan clothing, including a hat. The other wore black pants and a dark T-shirt.

Anyone with information about the robbery was asked to call San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477 or contact the agency online at sdcrimestoppers.com. Tipsters may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.

– City News Service