The Roseville Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance with identifying a man who robbed a liquor store and pepper-sprayed a clerk, according to an official press release.
On the evening of Tuesday, January 27, a man reportedly entered a Smart Stop liquor store at 5140 Foothills Boulevard, threatened the clerk with a handgun and demanded money. After taking money from the cash register, and the clerk’s personal property, the suspect pushed the clerk to the ground and pepper-sprayed him in the face. The suspect then left the store and walked northbound toward McAnally Drive.
Paramedics reportedly arrived on scene and treated the clerk for his exposure to pepper spray, but he reportedly declined further medical attention.
The robber was described as a male wearing a black puffy jacket over a bright blue hooded sweatshirt, khaki pants and white sneakers. He had his hood pulled all the way up and wore a ski mask to conceal his face. He reportedly spoke with an accent and might be Hispanic, but that is not confirmed.
Anyone with information that could help solve this crime is asked to call Roseville Crime Stoppers at (916) 783-7867 or text a tip to 274637, starting the tip with the word “ROSEVILLE.” Tips can also be submitted online at www.roseville.ca.us/police (look for “submit a tip” on the sidebar). According to Roseville PD, you can remain anonymous, and could get a cash reward if the information you provide leads to an arrest.
Cody Toste, image from Facebook.
Meanwhile, last Thursday Roseville police reported the arrest of a “frequent customer” of theirs, Cody Michael Toste. The 27-year-old Penryn mechanic was arrested at a home in Roseville on outstanding warrants for robbery, exhibiting a deadly weapon, petty theft, possession of a controlled substance and bringing it into jail, and driving on a license suspended to DUI. Toste had been booked several times in 2014 for drug and drug paraphernalia charges, along with a vandalism and weapons charge in August.
Earlier law enforcement records going back to 2007 show an arrest in April that year, when he was 19-years-old, for having an open container while driving. That was followed by a DUI arrest in July, when his license was also suspended. The very next month he was arrested for DUI again, and driving on the suspended license. After a break for almost three years, he was arrested for DUI again twice in 2010, and once in 2011. In April of 2012 he was charged with being under the influence of drugs or alcohol (public intoxication), and then in October of 2013 for driving with a suspended license for DUI, and improper registration. He followed that incident with a Facebook post stating “Life can be such a Bitch! Just got my 3rd driving on a suspended (maybe I shouldn’t drive) hmmm..” His arrest on August 12 included a driving on a suspended license charge. Bail was set at nearly $182,000 in this latest arrest.
CrimeVoice staff contributed to this report
