Actions

Terrified woman recounts Dollar General robbery, ‘He put a gun to my stomach’

Posted at 10:44 PM, May 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-04 23:12:17-04

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- The victim in Wednesday’s Dollar General store robbery told CBS 6 that a female Virginia State University student walked in, saw the commotion, but then walked back out and never called 911.

She said if the student had dialed for help, then police may have solved a number of cases.

"He came in grabbed my neck and put a gun in my stomach," she said.

A Dollar General worker, who wanted to hide her identity, recounted the horrifying moments Wednesday morning at the store off Woodpecker Road.

A Dollar General worker, who wanted to hide her identity, recounted horrifying moments Wednesday morning at the store off Woodpecker Road.

A Dollar General worker, who wanted to hide her identity, recounted horrifying moments Wednesday morning at the store off Woodpecker Road.

"He said, ‘Stop hollering, go faster, get the money out the drawer!’” she said. “He threw my neck and said get money out of the safe."

Police said one unique thing about the robber was a pink handgun he used while demanding money.

The victim gave police a description of a man dressed in winter clothing. "He was dressed like he was going skiing: ski mask, but he doesn't weigh more than 120 pounds," she said.

She said the worst part was that there was a chance to catch him, if the student walking in on the robbery had just called 911.

"A customer came in and just walked back out," she said.

The Dollar General is in the same shopping center where a man robbed the Food Lion by passing the cashier a note, and then tried to do the same thing at Burger King. Police said they are investigating whether all three are connected.

Man wanted in Food Lion robbery

Man wanted in Food Lion robbery

Kienna Morris works a few doors down at Bella Restaurant. She said one thing all the robberies have in common is that the suspect headed towards the University Apartments afterward.

"You have to live there or know someone,” said Morris. “Other than that, you have to scale the fence.  There’s only one way in and one way out.”

That's causing a lot of concern for those who work here. "Pretty much the only place not hit is our place, the Chinese restaurant and the nail salon. We are the only ones left,” Morris said.

Dollar General

As for the woman who was held up at the Dollar General, her advice for others, is to give the robber what he wants.

The suspect is described as a black male, between 21 to 27 years old and around 5 feet 8 inches tall.

No surveillance photos have been released at this time.

If you saw something suspicious in the area Wednesday morning, especially a man wearing winter clothing, contact the Chesterfield County Police Department at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660 or http://www.crimesolvers.net.

CBS6-News-at-4pm-and-Jennifer-Hudson-480x360.jpg

Entertainment

Watch 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' weekdays at 3 p.m. on CBS 6!

📱 Download CBS 6 News App
The app features breaking news alerts, live video, weather radar, traffic incidents, closings and delays and more.