Merced clerk assaulted during robbery

A Merced store was robbed late Monday, the third armed robbery in the city in three days.

Three men wearing bandannas over their faces and armed with handguns on Monday night took an undisclosed amount of money from El Provenir Market, 864 W. 13th St. in Merced, the Police Department said in a news release.

One of the men punched the store clerk in the head, but police said the clerk was not seriously injured.

Each robber was described as about 6 feet tall, last seen wearing dark clothing.

Investigators do not believe Monday’s incident was related to other armed robberies reported Saturday and Sunday in Merced, Sgt. Jay Struble said.

Detectives have not ruled out the possibility the same man may have committed both weekend robberies, Sgt. Scott Skinner said.

“We don’t have any evidence linking them, but we’re definitely still looking into that possibility,” Skinner said Monday.

About 9:45 p.m. Sunday, a man with a gun took an undisclosed amount of money from Me N’ Ed’s Pizzeria, 3524 G St. in the Yosemite North Shopping Plaza, police said.

Investigators said it was not clear how the man got into the restaurant, as it had been closed for about 45 minutes.

Police said the man was wearing a hooded sweatshirt.

Just before 6 a.m. Saturday, police said, a masked man robbed a Valero gasoline station on East Childs Avenue.

Police said a man wearing gloves and a mask walked into the station’s market, displayed a handgun and took money from the cash register.

Officers are reviewing surveillance videos from all three incidents.

This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 12:15 AM with the headline "Merced clerk assaulted during robbery."