Caught On Camera: Armed Robbers 'Boost' Cash, Phones From Store
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DEERFIELD BEACH (CBSMiami) - An employee of a wireless service provider and her customer were taken by surprise when two armed robbers decided to 'boost' cash and merchandise from the store.
It happened Monday at the Boost Mobile location at 1668 W Hillsboro Boulevard in Deerfield Beach. The two armed men, who were wearing masks, entered the store and then locked the door behind them.
An employee and a customer were inside.
The Broward Sheriff's Office released video of the armed robbery on Tuesday afternoon.
It shows the men bursting in -- with a gun out and capturing a customer and employee by surprise. One of the thieves orders the employee to open the cash register and fork over fistfuls of money. The employee fills a plastic bag. Then, the men lead the worker and customer to a back office.
Click here to watch Carey Codd's report.
At that point, the employee breaks down and cries.
As the worker opens a safe -- presumably with cellphones inside -- she is seen wiping away tears. The bad guy with the gun wraps the employee with duct tape. The customer is also bound.
The men lead the employee to a back door, then return her to the office. Seconds later the men walk out the back door and they are still on the loose. We're told they got away with eight cell phones and about $150 bucks.
It was a frightful moment for everyone who works and frequents the shopping plaza.
"I heard some noise and someone say get down," explained Jude Michael.
Jude, who works next door to the cell phone store, heard a commotion come from the neighboring business around noon.
"I came outside and saw all the police activity. That's when I realized what happened. I was shocked," said Michael.
According to witnesses, a female customer and a female store worker had guns held to their heads. They were taken to a back room where their hands were bound with duct tape and the gunmen demanded money from the safe. The thieves took the cash and merchandise and ran out the back door.
"I know they had ski masks so we can't describe them to anybody," said witness Jackie Casey who also works in the same shopping plaza.
Casey knows the worker who was robbed and she was seen afterwards being comforted outside the store.
"She was crying. I spoke to her afterwards and she told me about the gun to her head," said Casey. "I told her give them what they want."
Casey said it's been years since anyone was held up in the shopping plaza but said this robbery hits home.
"It's scary. That's why we always keep our doors locked inside when we're working," said Casey.
The Broward Sheriff's Office has not said much the men got away with. Investigators are reviewing surveillance that captured the robbery.
If you know who the thieves guys are, call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493 -TIPS.