Suresh Gudimetla stands outside of Terrace Convenience in Sydney, which he bought about five years ago. Over the past three years, he’s seen an increase in crime at the store. NICOLE SULLIVAN / CAPE BRETON POST Nicole Sullivan / Cape Breton PoArticle contentA Sydney store owner is hoping someone will identify the man who robbed his convenience store with a large knife on Sunday.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentSuresh Gudimetla has owned Terrace Convenience for about five years and one of his staff was working Sunday afternoon when the man robbed him at knife point.Article contentArticle contentThe Cape Breton Post saw surveillance video from two different angles of the robbery, which happened around 3:15 p.m. on Sept. 28. It was less than an hour from shift change when the till would be emptied.Article contentArticle contentGudimetla and the staff estimate there was around $700 in the till that the robber got away with.Article content“The scary thing is he didn’t have any fear,” said Gudimetla, who moved to Cape Breton from Newfoundland and Labrador about 12 years ago.Article content“He wasn’t wearing a mask or anything. He just came in with the knife and demanded the money. He knew we had a panic button because he told (my staff) not to press it.”Article contentThe staff member, who asked not to be named for fear of his safety, said he thought the thief was a customer at first until he realized he had pulled the large knife out.Article content“It was really frightening,” he said. “I just gave him the money … your life is more important.”Article content Another video surveillence camera at Terrace Convenience in Sydney shows the man who allegedly stole around $700 from the till holding the knife as he talks to the staff working. In the video, the staff can be seen and the knife is very visible. CONTRIBUTED ContributedArticle contentARMED ROBBERYArticle contentThe man, who has long brown hair and a beard, was wearing black sunglasses, a blue baseball hat, black hooded pullover sweatshirt and grey sweatpants with a dark stripe down the sides when he robbed Terrace Convenience on Sunday.Article contentArticle contentIn the videos, the man, who appears to be Caucasian, walks over to the staff and pulls the large knife from the front pocket of his hooded sweatshirt. Then he follows the staff behind the till, holding the knife sideways with the blade out.Article contentGudimetla said the way the thief held the knife looked to him as if he was ready to slash at his staff if he didn’t comply.Article contentAfter the man with the knife got the money, he left the store and appeared to run from it. The staff immediately called 911 and the police responded with a K-9 dog.Article content A screenshot from one of the video surveillence cameras at Terrace Convenience of the man who is believed to have robbed the store on Sunday as he entered. CONTRIBUTED ContributedArticle contentGudimetla and the staff said a customer came in as the assailant ran away and heard the staff tell the 911 dispatch officer there was a robbery. The customer went outside to see the direction the armed man was running in to notify the police.Article contentTo their knowledge, the assailant hasn’t been apprehended as of yet.Article contentMonday, Gudimetla put two still shots from the video surveillance footage on the Terrace Convenience store Facebook page in hopes someone would identify the robber. By publication time, the post had been shared 306 times.
‘It was really frightening’; Armed robbery at Sydney store part of growing problem
