LACKAWANNA COUNTY -- Authorities in Lackawanna County have more evidence to help them catch robbers who hit two businesses this week. Police are now using surveillance video try to find the crooks.
The video was taken over a 40 minute period, pretty quick as far as crime sprees go.
But, when you watch it all unfold, the minutes pass slowly. They were some scary moments for two convenience store clerks in Lackawanna County.
Just after 10pm Tuesday night two men first robbed the Scott 60 Mobil station near Montdale. Then, they held up Cousin's Convenience Mart in Eynon all in 40 minutes.
Surveillance video from the Scott 60 shows one of the robbers threatening the clerk with a pellet gun while the other looks for cash behind the counter.
"They`re very brazen, confident, they seem collective and it looks like they`ve done their research," said Scott Township Police Chief Jared Ganz.
Video from Cousin's shows just how brazen the robbers are. One grabs the pellet gun from the other and fires a shot at the clerk. She was knocked to the ground but wasn't seriously injured.
"It could have caused some damage to her, if they struck her in the neck or they struck her some place that it did penetrate into the skin a little further, it could have been very serious on her end," added Archbald Police Chief Tim Trently.
The pair end their caper by jumping over the counter at Cousin's, taking cash and one of the registers. Then, they are seen in a different camera running off with it toward Catherine Drive. The video shows the getaway car with a third person behind the wheel.
Police showed up to Cousin's less than a minute later and told other convenience stores in the area to be on the lookout.
The clerk at Quinn's Cafe Express in Archbald got the call, and a dose of this scary reality.
"I think it scares us a little bit, it makes us more alert, more cautious, because we see that often in Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton. You really don`t give it a second thought. But when it happens here it makes you think," said Joe Motts, the owner of Quinn's.
Clerks are on alert while the three crooks are still out there.
Police hope someone can identify the robbers by their clothing, eyes, or their getaway car.