Two people arrested after robbery at Walgreens in Atascadero and subsequent pursuit on Wednesday

ATASCADERO, Calif. – Two people were arrested Wednesday after an alleged robbery at a Walgreens store and fleeing from police in Monterey County.

On June 12 at around 6:24 p.m., officers were called to a reported robbery at the Walgreens pharmacy in the 8000 block of El Camino Real, Atascadero police said in a news release about the arrests.

Arriving officers, along with an employee, confirmed that a man had been observed packing merchandise into a large garbage bag inside the store, Atascadero police reported.

According to Atascadero police, the man punched an employee in the face before leaving when the employee followed the man and asked him to stop.

A second person was observed leaving the store with unpaid merchandise in his arms, and both got into the same vehicle before leaving the scene, Atascadero police said.

The Walgreens employee later sought treatment for his visible injuries at Twin Cities Community Hospital, Atascadero police said.

According to Atascadero police, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) notified Atascadero police at around 8:40 p.m. that same day that the two had been taken into custody in Gonzales, Monterey County.

The CHP located the reported vehicle in Monterey County and after attempting a traffic stop, a chase ensued, which was reported to the Atascadero Police Department.

The vehicle eventually drove into a sewer ditch and the couple fled the scene on foot, but were eventually taken into custody while hiding in a nearby sewer, Atascadero police said.

Officers from the Atascadero Police Department arrested the two and seized the stolen goods at Walgreens. Additional property was found in the vehicle and is now being investigated, the Atascadero Police Department said.

The 29-year-old Stockton man was arrested in San Luis Obispo County on charges of robbery, assault and conspiracy, and the 25-year-old woman was arrested on charges of conspiracy and shoplifting, Atascadero police said.