MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – Employees at La Moraleja Paleteria y Nieveria, a Hispanic-owned ice cream shop on Bell Road in Montgomery, were robbed for the second time in less than two months on Monday. Now, employees are speaking out, albeit anonymously.
The Memorial Day robbery saw one thief take a customer’s and employee’s wallets before a shot was fired into the ground.
“I think he shot his gun because he was just scared that the cops would get here before they could get any money because when he was robbing us, he was shaking, real jumpy,” said one employee.
Surveillance footage of the robbery that took place earlier this year shows three people enter the shop with guns and threaten employees.
“It was two of my little sisters working at the time. One is 17 and one is 16. They were two young, little girls,” another employee said. “I know how traumatized they were. They were crying. They couldn’t even speak.”
Employees at the store claimed they are not the only ones. They said they believe Hispanic-owned businesses are targeted by thieves more often than other businesses.
“A lot of robberies in Hispanic stores, shops, restaurants have been robbed lately, literally in just two months.”
The thefts are keeping employees on their toes, who now wonder when the next robbery could occur.
“They have us timed. They know our time when we get off. They know when we have a lot of people, when we are busy,” one employee said
In response to the robbery, the Montgomery Police Department sent this statement:
“The Montgomery Police Department urges business owners and citizens to stay alert for suspicious individuals and vehicles in their vicinity and to contact the Montgomery Police Department as soon as possible if they believe a crime is about to occur.
“The Montgomery Police Department is committed to maintaining a strong presence in combating crime. At Mayor Steven Reed’s urging, the department has joined forces with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to enhance patrol coverage across the city.
“We appreciate the ongoing support from the community.”
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