HIALEAH, FLA. (WSVN) - Multiple armed men stormed into a South Florida cell phone store and ran out empty-handed, but police believe, they may be connected to another cell phone store robbery.
Store employees at the AT&T store in Hialeah said they are nervous knowing that those three robbers are still out there. According to officials, when the men were leaving the store, one of them turned around and fired five shots at the employees.
The robbery occurred at the AT&T store, along West 49th Street, on Oct. 28. At first, investigators said, the robbers pretended to be customers but soon forced the employees to the back of the store. However, surveillance video caught at least one of the men holding a gun in plain sight.
A witness outside the store said they saw the robbery and called police.
The men tried to steal phones but got away with nothing. Surveillance cameras caught the moment the men ran out of the store. The one holding the gun aimed it behind him. Police said one of the men shot at the employees as they ran away after sirens went off.
“He actually took at least five shots, didn’t even see what he was shooting at,” said Hialeah Police Sgt. Carl Zogby. “So angry, so upset that his robbery was foiled and he heard police sirens so quickly. They couldn’t take anything, that’s probably what he did in a malicious act. He just started shooting while still inside the store.”
Later, on Nov. 5., surveillance video was rolling at another AT&T store in Miramar, during another armed robbery. Police believe the same people are behind both cell phone robberies.
In this case, the robber forced an employee to open the safe so he could empty the contents into a red bag while the other two employees were ordered into the bathroom.
“These guys are armed, dangerous and reckless,” Zogby said. “They must be gotten off the streets, especially now that the holidays are coming. They may get more careless. We got to get to them before somebody gets hurt or killed.”
No employees were hurt during these robberies.
Hialeah Police said the men got away in a black Toyota SUV.
If you have any information on these robberies, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.
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