Authorities asked the public Wednesday for help in identifying two men who carried out a rash of armed robberies at gas stations and convenience stores in Birdland, Hillcrest, La Jolla, Lemon Grove and Spring Valley over a five-hour period.

Crime Stoppers courtesy of the San Diego Police Department
Crime Stoppers courtesy of the San Diego Police Department

Investigators believe the same two masked thieves threatened clerks with a pistol and stole cash from the five Shell stations and 7-Eleven stores between 11 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday, according to police and sheriff’s officials.

Surveillance cameras captured images of the bandits, described as roughly 5-foot-6-inch Latinos in their early to mid-20s.

One of them was clad in a black baseball cap inscribed with the letter “D,” a blue Chargers lightning bolt-logo sweatshirt and a bandana with a skull design on it covering the lower part of his face. His accomplice was wearing a dark-colored billed hat bearing the letters “SD” and used a black T- shirt to obscure the bottom of his face.

Following several of the holdups, the pair made their getaway in a late 1990s- or early 2000s-model white Ford Mustang with damage to the front driver’s side quarter panel, police said.

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

— City News Service