Police in Lawrence, Massachusetts, are currently investigating an armed robbery at a local business that was caught on camera.
The surveillance video shows three masked individuals enter ‘Elegante Fashion,’ a clothing and jewelry boutique in Lawrence -- all three flashing guns and wearing hooded sweatshirts.
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Lawrence police say it happened just before 8 p.m. last Friday at 317 Broadway.
The store's owner spoke to NBC10 Boston off camera, saying the robbers came into his business and forced him and his employees down to the basement at gun point. Next, he says the robbers demanded he open the safe where he keeps all of the expensive jewelry -- that set off an alarm, and the masked individuals took off.
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According to the owner, the robbery lasted around 15 minutes.
“This is something that is unacceptable,” said Jeovanny Rodriguez, Lawrence City Councilor for District D, as he expressed frustration on behalf of business owners. “This is tough for people that are trying to make a living here in Lawrence and we’re happy it doesn’t happen very often but if it happens once that is more than enough and I believe that working together to avoid those types of issues. If you see something say something.”
The president of the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce, Joe Bevilacqua, recommends talking with your local authorities on how to better protect your businesses, offering these tips:
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“You want your store to be well lit. You want to be able to see every part of your store, so it’s not crowded and jammed with material, where you can’t see people,” he said.
The owner of 'Elegante Fashion' says the robbers got away with hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry and other merchandise, but he is counting his blessings that no one was hurt.
Lawrence police say no arrests have been made. An investigation is ongoing.
