Suspects wanted after robbery at pizza shop in Philadelphia's Olney section

Philadelphia pizza shop employee recalls frightening gunpoint robbery

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Philadelphia pizza shop employee said he's worried about his safety after a group of young men attacked and robbed him as he was closing his shop.

Philadelphia police believe the same group kidnapped a man from a bus stop and forced him to take money out of his bank account just hours before the pizza shop robbery. 

The store owner of the shop, Bally's Pizza, said this is the first time this has happened in about 25 years. Police said they are still looking for the teens responsible and are hoping someone may recognize them. 

"I never seen a gun on the front of my face until I seen them here in my store," Salin Jnou said. 

Jnou said he was wrapping up for the night at Bally's in Olney until the robbery happened. 

Philadelphia police released surveillance video, which shows a group of teens robbing the shop at gunpoint on Mascher Street. 

Police said the group pulled up in a white SUV and demanded cash.

"I was shaking, I was worried. But I didn't do anything wrong, whatever they tell me I said, 'OK.' My hand on the top. Whatever they asked me for I said, 'OK guys, OK guys, OK guys' until they left," Jnou said. 

Nikolaos Calivas owns Bally's Pizza and said he always tells his employees their lives are more important and to hand over the money.

"Take the money and go, that's what I tell them sometimes," Calivas said. 

Calivas said they are using more credit cards lately so they aren't carrying around cash for safety purposes. 

After the late night robbery, he said they opened up the next day. 

"Everyone only comes to see us and says, 'Hey what's happened,'" Calivas said. 

Calivas said he is always trying to stay alert on the job, especially with the violence happening in the city.

"We are scared to work now on the streets. You have to have eyes from behind, too, and eyes all over," Calivas said. 

The pizza shop hopes something is done to keep them and their community safe. 

"It's hard, it's really hard. We hope from city to do something for us. We need to feel safe," Calivas said. 

Police said the group stole about $3,000. The pizza shop said most importantly everyone is OK.

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