Local News

MIAMI (CBS4) ― CBS4 has learned there's a South Florida-wide alert about two armed robbers who have terrorized employes at as many as five GameStop stores in the past month and stolen thousands of dollars as well as playstation games from the popular chain.

"We've got to stop these criminals before someone gets hurt," said North Miami Beach Police detective Rich Rand. He said, "So far, fortunately, no one has been hurt. But that could change in a second."

Game Stop spokesmen tell CBS4 that five stores have been robbed at gunpoint in the past month. One District manager in Miami-Dade told us four were in his district. A fifth store was robbed in Pembroke Pines this past Tuesday.

"I can confirm that this group has robbed three stores I know of," said Rand. "The GameStop store in North Miami Beach at 136th Street and Biscayne Boulevard on June 11th, the Pembroke Pines store at 862 University Drive in Pembroke Pines this past Tuesday and another one at 79th Street and Biscayne Boulevard in Miami." Two other stores in Miami-Dade were also robbed at gunpoint---one of them at Northwest 199th Street and 441.

Rand says the method of operation is almost always the same. One man serves as a lookout; the other holds a gun on store clerks and demands their cash and playstation games. He released a photo of that gunman, who always wears the same white t-shirt that says "Record Music," and dark sunglasses.

Rand also released surveillance videotape from the robbery of the North Miami Beach store. It shows a lookout entering the store and observing customers and the clerks. Then the gunman enters and casually walks up to the counter with a chrome-plated revolver and demands all of the cash from the cash register.

As Rand points to the guman on the surveillance tape, he says, "You can see how he's very organized. He enters quickly, goes to the clerk and makes his demands. In just minutes, he takes the cash and is gone." Rand said, "The photograph of that gunman is so good that we think someone's going to recognize him. If you recognize him, call North Miami Beach Police or Miami-Dade Crimestoppers at 305-471-Tips."

A spokesman for GameStop told CBS4 that, "We're going to match that reward of $1,000. So we'll chip in $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspects. That's a $2,000 reward."

GameStop, which is headquartered in Texas, would not allow any of its employees or victims to speak. "We're cooperating with police and we hope he is caught," said a spokesman in Texas.

CBS4 spoke to employees off camera at two stores. One employee, who said he did not want to give his name, told us, "These people have to be caught and soon. This is scaring the heck out of us. We could have been hurt. I feel like we are sitting ducks. And for some reason, these people are targeting GameStop. I don't know why."

Customers are also concerned. As she left the North Miami Beach store with her three children, Julia Hebburn told us, "The innocent are being hurt because of the guilty. These people need to be stopped. They should get a job. The economy can't be that bad."

Detective Rand said, "The suspects are tall, thin black males, between five foot eleven and six foot one, about 150 pounds each, and they are young, roughly between 18 and 21 years old." He said they were seen driving north on Biscayne Boulevard from the North Miami Beach store in an older model, dark, four-door cadillac. It may have been brown, according to a police report in Pembroke Pines.

Pembroke Pines Police said one of the suspects had a tattoo on his neck.

"We don't where this is going to go," said Rand. "But we are worried, worried about what these two young people might do."

(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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