Man arrested for trying to rob food truck with knife in Visalia, police say

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- An bare parking batch connected Dinuba Avenue and Vine Street successful North Visalia is wherever Tacos El Toro usually sells their Mexican cuisine retired of their nutrient motortruck each night.

The robbery happened astir 10:20 p.m. successful a parking batch adjacent Dinuba Avenue and Vine Street.

That's wherever Tacos El Toro usually sells their Mexican cuisine retired of their nutrient motortruck each night.

"Witnesses reporting that a 43-year-old antheral had brandished a weapon and was swinging it astatine aggregate radical portion demanding wealth from the business," said Liz Jones with the Visalia Police Department.

Police person since identified that antheral arsenic Martin Tobar-Chabolla.

He was arrested aft constabulary tracked him down astatine a adjacent convenience store.

Willy, the manager astatine Circle 7, saw it each happen.

"I asked him a question, but helium didn't answer. He gave maine the $5, helium needed alteration for the $5 bill. I gave him the change," recalled Willy.

"The infinitesimal helium walked away, determination were cops outside, and the cops started 'On the ground, connected the ground.' They enactment him connected the ground, and they started searching for a knife."

Willy says that a fewer moments later, the taco motortruck employees walked in, shocked and frightened implicit what had conscionable happened.

Tobar was booked connected felony charges for attempted equipped robbery and attempted battle with a deadly weapon.

For Willy, having known Tobar arsenic a customer, helium is amazed astatine what unfolded connected Tuesday night.

"He is simply a customer, close here, helium is stateless and ever recycling, but I ne'er knew helium was going to bash that," Willy continues, "I don't know, I deliberation helium needs to look for a occupation oregon something."

The Visalia Police Department encourages nutrient motortruck vendors to person information cameras acceptable up.

Having lights and selling from a well-lit country tin besides assistance deter imaginable criminals.

For locals, if you spot something, accidental something.

The Visalia Police Department says this continues to beryllium an ongoing investigation.

Anyone with accusation is urged to telephone the department.

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