Watchful worker helps police catch suspects in armed robbery of Seattle pot shop



SEATTLE -- Two people are in custody after a worker watching a security video feed saw armed robbers walk into a Seattle marijuana store Sunday night.

Around 11 p.m.  two masked and armed men stormed into the "Have a Heart" store in the Greenwood neighborhood.

A store employee said the gunman approached him as he performed a security sweep around the building.  As he returned to the store, he tried to warn another woman working inside.  She tried to hold the door shut to keep the robbers from entering, but they stormed in.

One man pointed a gun at the woman's head and ordered all the employees on the floor.  The robbers looked for cash and grabbed products off the shelves as the workers were tied up on the ground.

Store security cameras captured the robbery.  One worker watching the video feed of the store from home saw the robbery happen and contacted police while the robbers ransacked the shop.

"Most times I watch the TV nothing happens, everybody goes home safe and tonight I watched and caught something," said Damon Martinez.  "I wanted to leave and get in my car and come down here, but police convinced me I was more helpful on the phone.  You're sick to your stomach. I was begging police to come in and help them. It's really hard to watch," he added.

Police arrested the robbers right after they left the building.  No workers were physically injured. The shop's owner told Q13 News it may take some time to get over the trauma of being robbed.

This is the second break-in at the store in the last two weeks.