KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
Two crooks armed with guns robbed a Home Depot store, pointing a gun at a child and forcing customers to the ground. The crime is one police are very concerned about and would like to solve quickly.
The security video shows two thieves robbing the Home Depot located at 4707 E. Bannister Rd. just before 9 p.m. Monday. Kansas City, MO, police said they want the crooks off the street before their aggressive behavior leads to more violence, if they strike again.
"They went in pretty brazen - throwing people on the ground, let alone pointing a gun at a child. They are pretty dangerous, I'm afraid. If they continue to do more of these before they're caught, it could end up escalating and somebody could get seriously hurt," Detective Blake Groves with the KCMO Police Department said.
Surveillance video shows an employee walking into frame and one man pulling her to the ground by her hair, as a mother and young child rush away from the armed robber. The same suspect also threw an employee to the ground and pointed a gun at a child in a shopping cart. Just seconds later, after the cashier didn't open the register fast enough, the other crook pulled the whole register free from the wires and off the counter.
"It was very charged, so to speak. They didn't care who got a gun pointed at them, they didn't care who was a victim. It didn't seem like they cared who was going to be hurt," Groves said.
Groves said it's likely the thieves also chose the time of the robbery, hoping to catch employees off guard.
"(It's somewhat more likely) employees might be a little more distracted at that time, trying to close up, everybody wants to go home at the end of the day. Also that time of day there's probably going to be more cash in the drawers," Groves said.
Police said a big box store like Home Depot isn't a typical robbery target.
"It's not exactly your primary target, it doesn't seem like it would be an easy target. But, evidently these guys didn't care," Groves said.
In this case the surveillance system did exactly what it was supposed to.
"The better video you have, by far the better chance we have of getting the right people," Groves said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.
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