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OREM — Two grocery markets have been robbed during business hours within the last month. La Pequenita is the latest store to be targeted.
Three armed robbers disguised with gloves, masks and hooded sweatshirts walked in through the main entrance around 8:30 p.m. Monday, "just prior to the business closing," said detective Trent Colledge of the Orem Police Department.
The owner, Narciso Roman, was alone in the store and standing behind the counter. One of the robbers, he says, went behind the counter and smashed his head with a rifle two times.
He fell down unconscious. The robber then dragged him down the aisle and away from the cash register. When he awoke, he says he tried to stand up but was knocked down again, kicked in the chest and hit on the shoulder. All the while, the two other bandits were grabbing bags of money, "close to $6,000 probably," said Carlos Roman, the owner's son.
The three robbers took off. "I'm lucky my father is still alive, because they tried to kill," said Carlos Roman.
El Centro was the first business to be robbed. It was robbed on Feb. 27 and again on March 17. No one was injured. The robbers took an undisclosed amount of cash.
"It appears they're targeting these specific businesses," Colledge said.
He is confident the same guys robbed both stores. He said they entered and left the same way each time and knew what to look for. "Both businesses specialize in wiring money to Mexico," Colledge said.
Which means the businesses often have a lot of cash on hand.
Police want similar grocery markets to lock up extra change, but La Pequenita is doing more than that. After 10 years of business, it is closing its doors … for now. "We never thought that was going to happen," said Carlos Roman.
