By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

AFTER having five of his food stores robbed this year, Super Value owner Rupert Roberts said armed police officers will be stationed at all of his locations to ensure the safety of his staff and customers.

Mr Roberts told The Tribune that he believes his stores have become targets for criminals because of the cash flow nature of his business, but he said thieves are disappointed when they realise not a lot of money is kept in the cash registers.

On Sunday morning, police shot two armed robbery suspects moments after they robbed Super Value Food Store on West Bay Street and led police on a high-speed chase that ended in a residential area off East Street South.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean said police received information of a robbery in progress at the food store, where more than a dozen customers were inside.

When police arrived on the scene, the armed suspects had already left the store in a stolen silver coloured Honda, but police immediately issued an all points bulletin for the men. ACP Dean confirmed that shots were fired inside the store during the robbery, but luckily no one was injured.

Mr Roberts said his employees were so “shaken up” that ambulances were called to the scene to treat several of them for panic attacks. He said while his stores usually have security guards on the inside and outside, it was the security guard who was held up, along with the manager, and taken into the store by gunpoint.

Mr Roberts believes the thieves were watching the men for a while and knew exactly who to target.

“We have a high cash profile and the undesirables who do not want to work and want free money target us,” Mr Roberts said.

“I don’t know why they keep trying because they never get away with it. The police do some good work and they definitely send a message to criminals. But within six hours, we had the deposit bag that was stolen back and we had the cashier floats. That is fast, efficient police work. These criminals must know it’s not worth it. Two of these men are shot and when they get out of the hospital they will be going to prison. We will have armed police officers at all of our locations. It’s expensive but we want to keep our staff and customers safe.”

Mr Roberts said the worst part of the robbery was the emotional toll the entire ordeal took on his employees.

“It was so traumatic for them. It is unnerving to look down the barrel of the gun,” Mr Roberts said.

“That is the worst thing for me, what this kind of thing does to the staff. We had ambulances there to assist everyone. The girls were crying, but most of them were troopers and they stayed behind and they continued to work. In the middle of this, our staff showed bravery and a strong heart.”

Super Value stores on Mackey Street, Baillou Hill Road, Robinson Road and in the Cable Beach and Winton areas have all been robbed this year.

Police are still searching for two suspects in Sunday’s robbery. One of the suspects, who was shot, was taken into custody on Sunday. He remains in hospital under police guard. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.