Los Angeles police this week were searching for a prolific, after-hours bandit who has robbed 14 San Fernando Valley 7-Elevens and one area AM/PM convenience store since early May. All the robberies happened between 3 a.m. and 5:45 a.m.

The big dogs at the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery-Homicide Division's Special Robbery Section have taken over the investigation. You know what that means? They're going to stake out 7-Elevens early in the a.m. and probably end up catching this suspect. Except …

Dude hasn't struck since June 19 — at least according to an LAPD statement distributed to the news media.

Credit: LAPD

Credit: LAPD

The bad guy is described as a Latino in his early 20s, about 5 feet, 7 inches tall, 205 pounds and sporting a black-and-red Cincinnati baseball cap. He allegedly used a blue steel semi-automatic handgun. Witnesses apparently told investigators he posed as a customr and asked for cigarettes.

Anyone with information about the suspect was asked to call Det. Bret Richards at 213-486-6840.

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