KINGSBURG, Calif. (KMPH) -
Highway hotels are on edge tonight, as police continue to search for a crew of armed robbers that hit up two hotels along Highway 99, back-to-back.
Police say the robbers targeted the Holiday Inn in Selma and the Fairfield Inn, in Kingsburg late Sunday night.
Police say the robbery happened pretty quickly. The Fairfield Inn robbery was caught on camera.
Surveillance video shows it took about 45 seconds for these three men to get what they came for - cash.
Hoods and masks covered their faces, one man had a gun.
They walked out with the cash drawer and never hurt or threatened anyone.
Kingsburg police are scratching their heads - the bedroom community rarely sees crimes like this.
"Our first thought, was why Kingsburg. And why a hotel in Kingsburg? Most travelers use a credit card instead of cash," said Kingsburg police chief, Jeff Dunn.
The chief says the robbers only got away with a couple hundred bucks from the Kingsburg incident.
About 10 minutes earlier, police believe the same armed robbers hit up the Holiday Inn in Selma, minutes north on Highway 99.
The manager there says the hotel has never been robbed like this before.
Investigators think the robbers looked for a low profile gig.
"The advantage of going to an out of the way place even with a lower dollar amount, is that there aren't as many people. If you go to a gas station or mini mart or grocery store, they typically have a lot of customers in and out," said Chief Dunn.
Empty lobbies mean fewer witnesses.
But police hope the surveillance video will lead to their arrests.
Police describe the getaway car as a gold colored Dodge Stratus or Dodge Avenger.
Kingsburg investigators are looking into whether the crew hit other hotels along Highway 99 Sunday night.
Anyone with information in these cases is asked to call the Kingsburg Police Department at (559) 897-2931.
