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Armed robbers target Gwinnett store with baby inches away, police say
Two suspects are behind bars Monday in connection with armed robberies at Gwinnett County grocery stores.
Surveillance video captured a gunman demanding money while a baby sat nearby in a stroller.
Gwinnett County Police arrested 37-year-old Jairo Martinez-Villafranca and 28-year-old Belki Reyes-Cordova for two armed robberies that happened on the same day in May.
The disturbing surveillance footage shows how a male suspect confronted store clerks with a gun while the female suspect served as a lookout, according to police.
Channel 2's Matt Johnson reports that in one shocking scene, a clerk's baby sat helplessly in a stroller just inches away during the robbery.
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'It's very uncomfortable to see a baby involved in this armed robbery. Just glad nobody was hurt,' Cpl. Juan Madiedo with Gwinnett County Police said.
The suspects hit El Amigo Grocery Store on S Norcross Tucker Road and La Escondida Grocery Store on Singleton Road on May 13, police said.
Investigators used high-tech solutions to track down the suspects, including Flock cameras and coordinated stakeouts to identify their vehicle.
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Both suspects now face multiple charges, including armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of certain crimes and child cruelty. They are being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Jail.
The arrests come as the area has seen multiple robberies and burglaries. Police data shows two robberies and six burglaries were reported on one block of South Norcross Tucker Road in just the past two months, though the arrested suspects are only linked to the two robberies.
Local business owners, some too frightened to show their faces on camera, say the crimes have left the community on edge.
'There's been a lot of burglaries, break ins with guns. You know, it's scary,' one business owner said.
Police are asking community members to reach out to their local precinct to work together on addressing ongoing safety concerns.
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