Armed robbery caught on camera at Highland Park Family Dollar

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (WJBK) - Armed robbers strike inside a Family Dollar store in Highland Park.

The clerk tried to make a run for it but the robbers didn't let him get far. Now the store and police are hoping the surveillance video of the crime will help put these thieves behind bars.

The two men wearing hoodies covering their hair, walked into a Family Dollar on Woodward in Highland Park at 7:45 p.m. on June 8 in the evening.

On video you can see they immediately go after the cashier, who tries to get away but they pull him back.

They want him to open the register, but he struggles, so they go after another employee who is laying on the floor of the store. They go through his pockets, steal his wallet and a couple hundred dollars.

"All the employees were shaken up over it," said Det. Brian Menge, Highland Park police. "It's a violent crime. We're trying to do the best we can to protect the people and the citizens who come through Highland Park."

Menge spoke to FOX 2 from the police department - right across the street from the Family Dollar.

"It's a pretty brazen type crime being right across from city hall in the daytime," Menge said. "So we're asking for the public's help.

"They did brandish a firearm during the armed robbery and thankfully nobody was hurt."

On video you can see the cashier did try to chase after the gunman but the thieves sped off in a car similar to this - theirs being a black Crown Victoria with black tinted windows.

This armed robbery at this Family Dollar came just a few weeks after several stores were hit in Detroit on the city's east side at the end of May.

Investigators there say they did make an arrest in that case.

Now Highland Park police are hoping this video helps get these guys locked up.

"We can't do this job alone, we need the public to come up," said Menge. "We need people to step up that want to stop the violence.

"We're asking people to stand up, step up, and don't be silent."

Anyone with information contact Highland Park police at 313-852-7338 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP.