Drunken Woman Robs 7-Eleven At Gunpoint For Pack Of Cigarettes

While the day before Thanksgiving is often busy with travel, menu and entertainment planning, a drunken woman was at a Fallbrook 7-Eleven store threatening a clerk with a gun -- all for a pack of smokes -- according to a sheriff’s sergeant.

Shortly before 1 a.m. Nov. 27, Julia Martell, 32, allegedly entered the convenience store at 631 S. Main Ave. and demanded a pack of cigarettes, claiming she had a gun, according to a report from Sgt. Patrick Yates of the San Diego Sheriff’s Department.

The clerk complied with the order and activated the store’s robbery alarm, which happened to fail. So once Martell made her exit, the clerk flagged a customer and asked for help.

Deputies from the Fallbrook Sheriff’s Substation happened to be nearby – the station is located but a half-mile from the 7-Eleven locale -- and were quickly summoned by the shopper.

Martell was about to drive away when deputies stopped her and placed her under arrest. She was booked on suspicion of robbery and driving under the influence, according to the sheriff’s department report.

There was no mention in the sergeant's report of a gun being ever being found on Martell.