ROBBER TAKES $700 FROM LIQUOR STORE.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SAUGUS - Two people were held up at gunpoint Thursday night at a Saugus liquor store and robbed of $700, the latest in a series of heists in the area, Santa Clarita sheriff's officials said Friday.

The pair were approached about 10 p.m. at the Kwik Stop liquor store on Seco Canyon Road by a man wearing a ski mask and brandishing a small silver handgun, according to a sheriff's deputy's report. The robber fired a round into the floor of the store before obtaining money from the cash register.

``The suspect shot at the ground to scare the victims,'' Lt. Diane Walker said. ``He got away with $700.''

The robber was last seen jumping a small wall that leads to an apartment complex behind the store, the report said.

Two days earlier, California Highway Patrol officers arrested two men, accused of robbing a nearby 7-Eleven store, CHP Officer Wendy Hahn said.

There has been a string of robberies in the area of Bouquet Canyon that also included heists at two gas stations. Sheriff's detectives say they don't believe the crimes are related.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com