PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Two teen employees were robbed at gunpoint at a central Phoenix ice cream shop on Friday.
LIX Uptown Ice Cream on 7th Avenue and Osborn is Richard Dolan’s pride and joy. “This is definitely my baby. It’s my blood, sweat and tears, really.”
He opened his shop three and a half years ago. It’s become a popular spot for locals, who bring in steady business.
”I’m okay with the money that I’m making right now. I guess I don’t have to make a lot of money. I just want to pay my bills,” he said.
Therefore, it was a big gut punch when his shop was robbed last Friday night.
Surveillance video shows a man walking in 30 minutes before closing time. He looked like a regular customer. However, after walking in, he pulled out a gun from his bag and told two teenage employees to open the register.
The girls remain calm as the suspect grabs about $300 from the register. An outside security camera caught the suspect running toward 7th Avenue.
Dolan said the employees are okay and proud of how they handled a very scary situation. “It was just amazing. Like they knew exactly what to do,” he said.
Unfortunately, this is the second time his shop has been hit. He said a robber stole $150 a few months after opening the store.
“I don’t think people realize, like I mean, maybe from the outside it looks a lot different. But from the inside, it’s just you know, every dollar counts,” he said.
Loyal customers, like Matt Jamieson, don’t understand why anyone would want to steal from a place that has little to take.
“Rich is like almost like a one man job. I know he’s got employees here, but this is like his passion project. Coming in this economy that we’re in, you know, money is hard to come by these days and intimidating young people and doing this to them at gunpoint is just horrific,” said Jamieson.
Dolan said, “It makes you look at every single person that walks in the door because he looked like a pretty normal guy.”
He wants the suspect caught and for him to know the value of what he took from his shop.
“I’ve worked almost every day for three years just to get to where I’m at and like, get your own man. Like, don’t take it from me. I’m a little guy, especially cause I’m the little guy,” said Dolan.
Phoenix police are still investigating. If you know the suspect, you can leave an anonymous tip with Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-948-6377. They’re offering up to a $1,000 reward for a tip leading to an arrest.
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