Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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Sam Penrod ReportingA clerk at an Orem check cashing business is recovering after a brazen robbery captured by a store surveillance camera.
The store camera caught the entire three minutes on tape. It is very dramatic, but shows the victim remained very calm, all things considered.
Lt. Doug Edwards, Orem Dept. Of Public Safety: "He just vaults over that, and he smacks her head. She hits her head on the counter."
The store video shows a robbery in progress. The robber walks in and immediately attacks the clerk. For the next three minutes the man holds the woman by force, first getting into the safe, then attempting to tie her up.
Lt. Doug Edwards: "He's going to try to use duct tape, which he's brought with him, to put across her eyes. She's not going to have any of that."
In fact, the woman tries reasoning with the robber, asking him to leave.
Lt. Doug Edwards: "Saying, ‘Just leave. People are going to come. Please don't hurt me. I have children at home.’ I'm sure in her mind she didn't know if she was going to survive this."
The victim's husband just happens to call the business and the robber tries ripping the phone out of the wall,. Instead, he only knocks it off the hook, so the husband can hear everything.
Lt. Doug Edwards: "He can hear his wife in the building saying, ‘Take the money. Just leave. Just leave.’ He immediately calls 911."
And as the robber finally leaves, so does the victim.
Dispatcher: "911 emergency.”
Victim on 911 Call: "Hi. I work at a place called Cash Valley. Our address is 590 North State Street in Orem. I've just been robbed by a man."
Police say that man was 28-year-old Junior Fea, who the victim recognized as a customer in the store just days before. She gave his information to police who were waiting for him when he returned home.
Lt. Doug Edwards: "They recovered all of the money that was taken. They recovered the items he had purchased to do the robbery, including a fake gun."
The suspect is in jail on charges of aggravated robbery.
The victim is said to be okay and was not physically hurt, despite such a traumatic experience.
