Man in wheelchair robbed waiting for Caltrain

A man in his wheelchair was robbed of his medicine, cellphone, ID card and cash at Caltrain’s Palo Alto station on Saturday, police said.

Shortly after 1 p.m., officers responded to a report of a strong-arm robbery at the station located at 95 University Ave., police said. Arriving officers searched for the suspects with the assistance of a K-9 unit but could not find them, according to police.

An investigation indicated that the man, who’s in his 50s, was on his wheelchair on the southbound platform where two men approached him and took a brown bag he was holding, police said. The men looked through the bag and took multiple bottles of the man’s prescription medicine, according to police.

They also looked through his pockets where they removed his cellphone and wallet, police said. The men took the man’s ID card and cash, and then threw the wallet on the ground, according to police. The pair fled north towards the bus station and were last seen running west across El Camino Real, police said.

The first suspect is described as a man with dark complexion in his 20s and standing about 5 feet 10 inches tall with a heavy build and beard. He was wearing a black jacket, black jeans and black shoes, police said. The second suspect is described as a man with light complexion in his 20s with a thin build who was wearing a gray and multi-colored backpack at the time of the robbery, according to police.

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s transit police bureau also responded to the robbery and is investigating the incident with Palo Alto police. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office’s anonymous tip line at (800) 547-2700. Those who wish to remain anonymous may send a tip by email to paloalto@tipnow.org or a text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.