East Bay bandits targeting parents dropping off kids at school

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Investigators in San Leandro are looking for a group of armed robbers who appear to be targeting parents dropping off their children at school, officials said Thursday.

At least two robberies in the Washington Manor neighborhood of San Leandro are being blamed on the group, said Lt. Robert McManus, a police spokesman.

The first incident happened Oct. 8 around 8:30 a.m. when a man was returning to his home on the 15600 block of Hebron Court after dropping his child off at school, McManus said.

The man and his wife were approached by four suspects with handguns and robbed before the suspects took off in a dark colored Nissan Rogue. The getaway vehicle was caught on a surveillance camera, and witnesses told police the car had California license plates, but no one was able to recount the license plate number, McManus said.

On Monday, another man was returning to his home on the 1400 block of Burkhart Avenue, less than a mile from the other robbery site, after dropping his child off at Arroyo High School. The father was approached by three suspects, at least one of whom was armed, McManus said.

The robbers forced the man into his backyard and ordered him to knock on the backdoor to get the attention of his wife, who was inside the home. But when she saw what was happening, she called police, McManus said.

The robbers stole the man’s wallet and fled, according to McManus.

“This is the second robbery of this type in the past three weeks in the Manor. We are seeking the public’s assistance in providing information about either of these cases,” McManus said in a statement. “Your tip may prevent this from happening again, and may help solve the robberies that have already occurred.”

Investigators are asking anyone who lives in the area, particularly on Burkhart Avenue and Farnsworth Street, to check home security cameras for footage of anything suspicious and to contact San Leandro police at (510) 577-3230 if anything stands out.

Kale Williams is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: kwilliams@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfkale