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Video: Crook Casually Robs GameStop Cashier In Miami

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Miami Police are trying to determine if there's a connection between a robbery in Miami and a burglary in Hialeah, and are hoping crystal clear video can help identify one of the suspects.

GameStop Robbery
Police are trying to identify this young man who robbed a GameStop in Miami on Sept. 17, 2017. (Source: Miami Police Dept.)

Both crimes targeted the popular videogame store, GameStop.

"I'm just wow, I did not expect this," said GameStop customer Julius Rogers. "This is a very busy area. I am surprised and shocked."

In Miami, the suspect first posed as a customer at the store at 271 S.W. 8th Street on September 17, around 5 p.m.

Video shows him checking out some games before wandering to the front desk. Miami Police Officer and spokeswoman Kenia Fallat said, "It was a regular business day. The guy walks in pretending to be a customer."

"He approached the store clerk and demanded money from the cash register," said Miami Police in a release to the media. "While implying he had a gun, he threatened the employee with shooting him. In fear for his life, the clerk complied and gave the suspect all of the money from inside the cash register."

"A lot of times people hesitate but in this case he did the right thing," said Ofc. Kenia Fallat. "He did not know if the man was armed or not and he kept on hiding his hand behind his back."

Detectives noticed his timing.

"It's frightening, not just for employees, but for the customers inside the store. He was looking for the precise moment when the coast was clear," said Ofc. Fallat. "We don't know if he has done it before but detectives are looking very closely at him and there is a very good picture of who this man and definitely somebody knows who he is."

It comes just a week after six people broke into a Hialeah GameStop during Hurricane Irma, at 961 E. 8th Avenue.

Hialeah Police say that crime happened at 11:20 p.m. on September 10th. Surveillance tape showed a woman rummaging through a ransacked store. Detectives say five other men were involved in that crime, stealing thousands of dollars worth of electronic items.

They said they broke into the store by smashing a glass front door and cutting a storm shutter. A witness who saw them called police.

Fallat told CBS4's Peter D'Oench, "We don't know if the crimes are connected. We cannot discount that possibility."

Police think the guy's between 20 to 25 years old and about 6' to 6'2".

If you recognize him, contact Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers at (305) 471-TIPS. There'a $3,000 for anonymous tips that lead to an arrest.

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