Six armed, masked suspects robbed a Valero gas station in Walnut Creek early this morning, police said.

Clad in masks and hoods, the suspects entered the gas station's store at 605 Ygnacio Valley Road around 3:30 a.m. and stole cash and various items.

One suspect shot at a customer pumping gas before the group fled in a dark-colored Volkswagen. The customer was uninjured.

The Volkswagen had been parked in a DMV lot south of the gas station. The car was last seen heading west on Ygnacio Valley Road, police said.

The robbery was similar to a botched armed robbery at a Pleasant Hill 7-Eleven that occurred just 24 hours earlier, in which a trio of armed suspects wearing Halloween masks and hooded sweatshirts entered the convenience store on Morello Avenue but then fled without taking anything.

A Pleasanton gas station was also robbedlast Friday evening. The thief made off with cash and cigarettes.

— Bay City News Service

Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.