THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — An armed robbery at a Bronx bodega is renewing calls tonight for tighter security in the stores.
The bodega owner PIX11 News spoke with says he hasn’t had any issues in 12 years and is now calling for more officers to patrol the area.
Three masked men are seen on surveillance video entering the bodega. One man grabs the clerk’s hand, another moves to open a door to get behind the counter, while a third points a gun directly at the clerk.
The owner, who had the business for over 12 years, didn’t want to be identified.
He says he’s never seen anything like it. “I was terrified, I was terrified, this was the first time anyone had ever pointed a gun at me”.
The robbery happened Tuesday night around 11:30 on Home Avenue. The clerk tried to lock himself behind the counter, but wasn’t able to do it in time.
“When I tried to reach for my phone to call 911, one of the suspects threatened to shoot me if I moved.”
Police say more than $3,000 in cash was taken, along with jewelry from both victims. Francisco Marte, president of the bodega small business group, says this store does not have a panic button because funding for the program has run out.
“The panic button works if the police department responds quickly. We are calling for more patrolling, we are even asking for walking patrolling.”
Fernando Mateo from the United Bodegas Association is calling on local and state authorities to provide funding to restore safety to the store.
The NYPD says there have been no arrests. Bodega advocacy groups are now offering a combined $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.
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