Two armed robberies were reported over the weekend but there was a third one that didn’t make it on the news. It occurred on Euphrates Avenue Sunday afternoon at the Miami Grocery Shop. If the name sounds familiar it is because the store has been robbed at gunpoint at least four times. And like the last robbery – this one was caught on camera. The store’s owner and employee showed us the tape and told us of their frustration.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The entire robbery, all 2 minutes of it, was captured from all angles on Miami Grocery Shop’s network of 8 surveillance cameras. First to the outside camera on which the tape began rolling at exactly 12:05. That is when the first suspect rides by on a bicycle. He is followed shortly by suspect 2 – also on a bicycle.
Lindy Young, Security Guard
“I didn’t know that they were coming to rob the store. What drew my attention to them was when I saw the other guy coming up from King Street area and they both came together and they were looking down towards King Street and they turned back, I went inside and told the boss they are coming to rob
the store.”
This view from camera number 2 shows suspect number one in front of the store putting on a hat and then pulling a handkerchief over his face. He then immediately pulls his gun from his pants and confronts and then assaults the store’s unarmed security guard – Lindy Young.
Lindy Young,
“The guy was already upon me with his gun. Me and him had a couple of seconds of struggle, I shoved him back out of the store and that’s when they came back in and he whapped me the first time over here and my boss told me to leave them alone and so I backed off.”
Keith Swift,
So you were fighting with them even though they were armed and you weren’t?
Lindy Young,
“I didn’t have any gun but I fought with them to keep them out of the store. I didn’t want them to come into the store to rob the store.”
But it was too late for that. Here are both gunmen in the store – brandishing their weapons – holding the store’s employees as hostages. For good
measure – one of the gunmen pistol whipped one of the store’s employees; others as this video shows were forced to lie on the ground.
Lindy Young,
“When I went inside they ordered all of us to go on the ground and lie down. I went by the corner by the dog food, I sat down and my boss and his wife sit down in front of me. The guy with the gun walked past me and he ordered everyone in the back to get down on the floor. When he passed back, that’s when he hit me and bust open my head. He gave me 5 stitches.”
A third accomplice appeared and he raided the cash register – stealing even the pennies.
Lindy Young,
“He went behind the cash register, took out all the money from inside. I don’t know what he was putting it in but all I could hear was that the
change was dropping and likewise this big guy stand up with his gun looking around.”
The men then fled at 12:07 with their stolen loot. It all happened in less than 2 minutes. Lindy who now has 5 stitches in his head says he was angry more than frightened.
Lindy Young,
“I wasn’t frightened. I was calm. My life was in danger, I understand that, but I wasn’t scared of the guys that were coming to rob us. Even though they had a gun and everything, I wasn’t afraid of it.”
The grocery store’s owner Jignesh Painter was forced to lie down on Sunday afternoon with his employees.
Keith Swift,
What did they get away with?
Jignesh Painter, Store Owner
“Almost like $500 or $600 with change and everything.”
Keith Swift,
You were sitting there the entire time, what did you have to do? What were you ordered to do?
Jignesh Painter,
“To sit down and I ordered my
security to let it go because I didn’t want them to get injured, to get hurt, or they shoot anybody.”
Jignesh bought Miami Grocery Store from his cousin Mukesh Makhwani in January. Makhwani sold the business and closed down his wholesale store on Euphrates Avenue because of repeated armed robberies.
Jignesh Painter,
“This is the first since I took over this place. Before my cousin run this business and he got robbed like four or five times.”
Keith Swift,
In fact he actually closed down his wholesale store.
Jignesh Painter,
“Because he got robbed a lot of times and he got nervous and frightened and he closed his business. He owned this Miami Grocery Shop too but after January I took it over.”
Keith Swift,
Are you frustrated as a businessman that this has happened to you?
Jignesh Painter,
“Well this happens everyday in different places so I find it is too much. I still have to do business.”
Keith Swift,
So you’ll stay in business?
Jignesh Painter,
“Of course yes.”
Police have reviewed the tape. This morning police showed the store’s owner and security guard mug shots but they were unable to identify any of the suspects. They suspect this is because their assailants were young and most likely not in the ranks of the convicted persons who appear in mug shots. As for Mukesh Makhwani who closed down his wholesale store because of the repeated robberies – he has opened a store in San Pedro.
