Employee Locks Alleged Armed Robbers In Store, But They Escape When Police Are Slow To Arrive
PATERSON, N.J. (CBSNewYork)--- Store employees reacted fast during an alleged robbery in progress by locking the armed suspects inside the store.
Two robbers were outsmarted and trapped, forcing to fight for their freedom inside of a Boost Mobile store on Tenth Avenue in Paterson, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
The suspects unsuccessfully climbed through the ceiling and dropped stolen money. They were allegedly armed with a handgun and were captured inside Wednesday afternoon by a quick-thinking store clerk.
A few minutes earlier, the thieves had the upper-hand. Tommy Torres was in a tough spot and had to think on the spot.
"I gotta go, I gotta live," he recalled thinking.
As the men searched for cash and cell phones, Torres went for the back door and locked it behind him. He then ran through the travel agency next door and brought down the front gate.
The robbers were locked inside and police were called, so you would naturally think the story ends with the men in handcuffs. However, that's not what happened and now Paterson police are making changes to their department.
"I thought we got him, but the cops never showed up," Torres said.
With extra time to spare, the robbers used tools found inside to unhinge the small metal bars and run from the scene.
Eighteen minutes after the initial call, cops arrived at an empty, disheveled store. The thieves left with $115.
The director of Paterson Police Department said this never should have happened. The emergency call wasn't categorized correctly, twice.
"Shoplifting as you can imagine is not a priority one call," Police Director Jerry Speziale said. "The word gun was used, at that point within 11 seconds a car is dispatched the priority is changed, and police cars are on the scene."
The department is retraining the people who answered the calls as they search for the two robbers who are still on the streets.
Paterson police told CBS2 they are in the process of upgrading the emergency call system.
