ALTAVISTA, Va. – Altavista police are continuing their search for two men who robbed an Arco gas station at gunpoint early Tuesday morning.
The robbery occurred around 5 a.m. in the 1000 block of Main Street. The suspects made off with an undisclosed amount of cash from the register.
Muhammad Ali Bhaddi, who has worked at the store for about six months, witnessed the robbery.
“They just came here and didn’t talk much. They pulled the gun out,” Bhaddi said.
He described the incident as happening quickly, leaving little time to react.
“We didn’t have much time to think. We were all just curious about what’s going on,” he said.
In response, the store is now taking extra safety measures.
“We’re closing the doors to the store at night and staffing multiple employees at night,” Bhaddi said.
This is not the first time the convenience store has been targeted. In the past seven years, it has been robbed three times. Despite these incidents, community members say Altavista remains a safe place to live.
“I think it’s a very safe area to live in. The reason it’s safe is because we look out for each other,” said local resident Mildred Dearing.
Altavista Police Chief Tommy Merricks said crimes like this are rare in the town but reminded residents that no community is immune.
“No matter how good your community is, bad things can happen,” Merricks said.
He is relying on the public’s help to identify the suspects.
“There’s good sound on some of the videos, and I feel like someone may know who they are,” Merricks said.
Anyone with information about the robbery or the suspects is urged to contact Altavista Police Department at (434)369-7425 or Campbell County Dispatch at (434)332-9574. You can also submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at (888)798-5900.