Armed robbers target 3 liquor stores in US, threaten Indian-origin employee

New York: An Indian-origin liquor store employee in the US state of Illinois was left shaken after four armed men in their 20s entered the shop, put a gun to his temple and punched his co-worker before fleeing away with cash and cell phones.

The robbers, carrying revolvers and semi-automatic handguns, hit three liquor stores in Chicago within a period of less than 40 minutes on Monday night, the police said.

Mr P Beverage Depot in Wicker Park, where Pankajkumar Patel works, was the first store to be targeted in the area at around 8.45 p.m.

"I have two children and a wife," a shaken and terrified Patel told CBS News.

Patel told the channel that of the four robbers, two were inside the store, holding him and his colleague at gunpoint, and two other in the parking lot keeping a close watch.

The two inside the store jumped the counter and put a gun to Patel's temple as the employee raised his hands up.

They then punched Patel's colleague in the face and took around $3,000 to $4,000 from the cash registers, including mobile phones of both the employees.

According to Chicago Police, shortly after 9 p.m., the robbers entered Before You Go Liquors store in Bucktown and at 9.20 p.m., they robbed the Clybourn Market liquor store in North Center.

In all the three cases, the robbers swung into action, saying: "Give me everything – don't move or I'll shoot!", the police said.

The incidents of robbery seem to be on a rise in Chicago with five liquor stores hit in a span of less than two hours in Irving Park last week.

The Chicago Police Department could not confirm whether the same gang was involved in the robbery, which took place this Monday, and asked businesses to be on alert and keep their surveillance cameras in working order.

They also urged staff at businesses to stay alert, and watch out for suspicious people loitering in the area.