San Diego police are investigating a series of armed robberies that took place during a six-hour period the night of March 4 and into the early morning hours of March 5. The crimes spanned more than four neighborhoods, with all gunmen fleeing on foot with cash and belongings.

The first of two street robberies occurred when bandits held up a man who was walking to his apartment complex on Lincoln Avenue near Utah Street in North Park at 8:30 p.m.

According to Lt. Margaret Schaufelberger of the San Diego Police Department, the 25-year-old victim had just parked his car when a man jogged up to him and pointed a handgun at his chest. A second robber then joined the gunman and the two suspects demanded the victim’s wallet and cell phone. The suspects took the belongings and fled the scene.

Authorities said the victim was not injured during the robbery.

A half-hour later, a husband and wife in their 20s were approached by three men as they were walking along a roadway in Park West. One of the suspects asked for directions when he came up to the couple at Kalmia Street and Second Avenue.

Another suspect put a handgun to the man’s back and demanded his wallet. He then pointed the gun at the woman and demanded her purse.

The couple cooperated, and the suspects ran eastbound with the items.

No injuries were reported.

In two commercial robberies just hours later, clerks at a Comfort Inn in Mission Valley and a Rigobertos taco shop in Webster were each robbed at gunpoint by two men.

The first hold-up on Hotel Circle South occurred about 1:40 a.m. Two suspects jumped over the counter, confronted the clerk at the Comfort Inn and demanded cash at gunpoint. The suspects took an undetermined amount of money from the business and also took a necklace and bracelet from the clerk, before fleeing out the back door on foot.

The second robbery on Federal Boulevard was reported at 2:40 a.m. Much like the robbery at the Comfort Inn, the two suspects entered the Rigobertos taco shop, displayed a handgun and demanded cash before getting away with an undetermined amount of money.

The employees were not injured in either case.

Police reports stated that the suspects in all of the robberies were black males in their early to mid-20s and were wearing dark clothing.

Schaufelberger said the cases may be related because of numerous similarities in the crimes and the descriptions of all the robbers involved. She did note, however, that it’s still too early in the investigation to determine if that is the case for sure.