Goleta, Calif. – Sheriff’s deputies are searching for a robbery suspect believed to be armed following an incident at a Goleta retail store Monday morning.

On Monday, July 27, 2026, at approximately 9:52 a.m., deputies responded to Target, located on Hollister Avenue in Goleta, following a report of a robbery that had just occurred.

Deputies learned that a lone male suspect attempted to purchase two iPads using a stolen credit card. When the transaction was declined, the suspect forcibly took the iPads while making statements indicating he was armed with a firearm. The suspect fled the store before deputies arrived and was last seen running westbound through the shopping center parking lot.

The suspect is described as a Black male, early 20’s, wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt with sparkles, a blue disposable face mask, blue sweatpants, and athletic shoes.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is releasing a surveillance image of the suspect and asks anyone who sees him not to approach him and call 911 immediately. Anyone with additional information about the suspect or the incident is encouraged to contact the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Please note: The colors in the surveillance image may not accurately represent the suspect’s appearance. The image was captured by photographing a security camera monitor, which altered the color quality. The suspect’s skin tone was darker than it appears in the released image, and his clothing was closer to a medium blue than depicted.