Up to $1,000 reward offered in armed robbery case

The victim of an armed robbery earlier this month is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the thief, the Merced County Sheriff’s Department said this week.

Jaime Moreno, 36, was robbed at gunpoint just before 9 p.m. Dec. 10 in the 2100 block of Lawn Court in the Beachwood area, Sgt. Delray Shelton said.

Moreno confirmed the reward Friday in a telephone interview with the Merced Sun-Star.

He said he got out of his vehicle and was walking toward a home when a man approached him from behind, pulled a handgun and demanded money. The robber then took Moreno’s vehicle, a white 2007 Honda Civic, and drove away.

The exact amount of money the robber took has not been disclosed. Two power tools were also stolen, Moreno said.

The vehicle has since been recovered, but not the tools or cash, the Sheriff’s Department confirmed.

Moreno was not injured during the incident.

The robber was described by deputies as a Latino male who was last seen wearing a white shirt, black pants and a black jacket.

This story was originally published December 26, 2014 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Up to $1,000 reward offered in armed robbery case."