Police searching for two suspects following set of robberies within 30 minute span

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Armed robbers hit two rural stores in Tulare County on Wednesday stealing money and threatening the clerks, all in a span of 30 minutes.

Deputies looked through surveillance video to see if the two cases were connected.

These two robberies were eerily similar. In both cases, the men were armed with shotguns, went to the cash register, and pointed their weapons at the clerk.

The first robbery happened around 4:30 p.m. at a 99 cent store in Ivanhoe. Deputies say the suspect was covering his face with a mask and wore dark clothes.

About than 30 minutes later, deputies got another call, this time in Monson, about 10 miles away from the other location. A robbery happened here at a local market.

The manager here told us it has been a long time since they have had any kind of trouble and their surveillance cameras were able to capture this photo of the suspects.

Deputies say there were two of them this time and both were armed with shotguns.

Investigators are again looking into whether these two cases are connected. The getaway car in both robberies is described as a red four-door car.

If you have any information, please call the Tulare County Sheriff's Office.