Fresno police seek suspects after clerk injured in shoplifting getaway

Fresno police are looking for two suspects after a clerk was injured during a getaway from a business near Belmont Avenue and Calaveras Street, where investigators say the pair grabbed burritos and drinks and fled before sunrise.

The theft happened about 5:32 a.m. on May 18, 2026, in a busy stretch of central Fresno where early commuters and workers are already moving through the area. Police said one suspect, wearing a white long-sleeve shirt and black pants with Champion logos, grabbed a large armful of burritos and ran from the store without paying. A second suspect, described as wearing a red hoodie with ECKO across the front, allegedly picked up several drinks and headed for the door as the employee tried to stop both suspects from leaving.

That is when the case escalated. Police said the clerk was injured when one of the suspects pushed past the worker during the escape. Surveillance video showed the two running west toward an alley behind the business, leaving investigators with images but no arrests as of yet.

The incident underscores the daily risk for frontline workers at small Fresno businesses, where even low-dollar theft can turn physical in seconds. What starts as a grab-and-run with food and drinks can quickly become a much more serious case if an employee is shoved, knocked down or hurt while trying to intervene.

California Penal Code section 211 defines robbery as taking property from another person’s immediate presence by force or fear, and that distinction matters when a shoplifting case involves a push or other violence against a clerk. In practical terms, the injury to the worker could mean far more serious consequences than an ordinary retail theft.

Fresno police have also recently publicized another retail theft case tied to May 6, when multiple suspects were reported at WSS and CVS, a reminder that shoplifting-related calls remain an active concern across the city. Police have made Crime Stoppers part of their community partnerships, and Valley Crime Stoppers says anonymous tips that lead to arrests are eligible for cash rewards.

Anyone with information about the Belmont and Calaveras suspects can contact Detective Rebekah Nolen. Valley Crime Stoppers also accepts anonymous tips as investigators continue working to identify the two men seen on surveillance video.