ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Police Department on Tuesday afternoon tweeted surveillance footage of an armed robbery at a gas station shortly after Channel 9's Cierra Putman asked for an update on the incident.
Investigators said that shortly before 10:15 p.m. Jan. 11, a man armed with a handgun barged into the Country Farms Food Mart on Curry Ford Road near South Semoran Boulevard and demanded cash.
Police described the man as black, thin and 5 feet, 9 inches tall. They said he was wearing a black and red hooded sweatshirt and black pants.
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Bhaveshkumar Patel told Channel 9 that he and his wife, Asmita Patel, moved to Orlando from the United Kingdom less than a year ago and bought the convenience store in recent months.
"(I was) absolutely terrified. I get up any time of the night just feeling quite scared," he said. "I ... look at my daughters and feel lucky that nothing happened to me."
The footage shows Asmita Patel approach the robber before backing off.
"I was scared," she said. "I made a mistake."
On 1/11/19, at 2210 hours, a suspect entered 5300 Curry Ford Rd (Country Farms Food Mart) with a handgun and demanded cash. Suspect described as a thin black male, 5'9'', wearing a black and red hooded sweatshirt, and black pants. Call @CrimelineFL at 800-423-TIPS with info. pic.twitter.com/qozHjMsf7b
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) January 29, 2019
Bhaveshkumar Patel said his wife was unaware that the robber was armed, so he told her to leave him alone.
He said the robber repeatedly threatened to shoot them and demanded money.
"If somebody (comes in) with a (hoodie) and somebody (comes) with it, like, tied, my heart beat (goes) up and down," Bhaveshkumar Patel said. "(It was the) first time I saw a real gun, and I was absolutely terrified."
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crimeline at 407-423-8477.
Still images attached. pic.twitter.com/QgEoG9gwDw
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) January 29, 2019
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) January 29, 2019
— Orlando Police (@OrlandoPolice) January 29, 2019
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