17-year-old robbed at gunpoint in downtown Palo Alto over the weekend

PALO ALTO, Calif. (KGO) -- Palo Alto Police are investigating an armed robbery that took place in the downtown area over the weekend.

Investigators say a 17-year-old was walking while talking on his cellphone on Lytton Avenue at Kipling Street in downtown Palo Alto around 10:45 p.m. Saturday when he was approached by three men. They demanded his phone and he refused.

They then pulled out a gun and pointed it at the teenager. He again refused. That's when one of the robbers punched the 17-year-old in the head. The victim then got on the ground and the three men ended up taking his cellphone and cash and hopped into a waiting car.

Police say he was lucky he wasn't seriously hurt or worse.

Palo Alto Police Sergeant Brian Philip said, "We would encourage in that situation to obviously comply. Don't take your chances when someone produces any type of weapon, whether it'd be a knife, a gun, what have you. Don't put yourself in unnecessary danger for something that is obviously property."

Palo Alto Police are investigating the possibility this same group of suspects also committed another robbery in a nearby city over the weekend.

Investigators are also checking to see if the victim is able to help them with a sketch of at least one of the suspects.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Palo Alto's 24-hour dispatch center at 650-329-2413.

Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to 650-383-8984.