POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A store clerk who was confronted by a woman wielding a gun and forced into a freezer at a small neighborhood grocery store is speaking out about the March robbery.
That clerk, Mohammad Sadequk Islam, has since quit his job at the the All American Grocery store, located at 1631 E. Sample Road, but, Thursday afternoon, he said he still wants that armed robber caught.
New surveillance video was released of the robbery. According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the incident took place in Pompano Beach, just after 6:35 p.m., on March 21.
BSO said that the woman seen in the video pretended to shop around by asking the clerk for several items.
Islam said the woman pretended to be a customer at first. “Tries to buy some stuff and she pretends that she doesn’t have the money,” he said.
Surveillance cameras recorded her as she went outside, pretending to get some cash, but once the last customer inside left, she pulled out a gun and pointed it at the clerk.
“She walks in, says, ‘I have the money,’ so I get ready to give her the stuff, put it all in a bag and give it to her, and all of a sudden she shows me a gun, and she demands money,” Islam said.
The armed robber then demanded that Islam put money into a plastic bag. Once the woman’s demands were met, BSO said she forced him into the store’s walk-in cooler and fled.
“It’s kind of surreal. It stops everything. It stops for like 30 seconds,” he said. “Everything is in like a slow motion. It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable when it happens to you. You don’t think it will ever happen.”
Islam said he was so traumatized by the incident that he quit. “I don’t work there because I don’t feel secure,” he said.
7News also spoke to the new clerk who works at the store.
“It’s very scary that people come like that and rob something. It’s very scary,” said clerk John Duram. “This is a good neighborhood. It doesn’t happen like that, but it was unexpected and unbelievable, too.”
Duram has been given instructions to be vigilant and has been instructed to keep all doors closed if possible to avoid another situation like this from happening again.
“They come and take my whole week’s salary in like 30 seconds,” Islam said. “It’s just not fair for people who work like me, who work for their money.”
Islam said that he’s worked at the store for about 20 years and that nothing like this has happened to him before.
Officials said the armed robber is a black female in her 30s with a heavy build.
If you have any information on this armed robbery, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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