Bethesda wine shop robbed at gunpoint twice
BETHESDA, Md. (DC News Now) — Local wine shop Geste Beer and Wine in downtown Bethesda was robbed at gunpoint Tuesday evening, one day after another burglary at the same store.
“We had this guy come in — he showed the gun to my employee — the employee ran away, of course, which was the best he did. The guy comes in, takes all the cash and then leaves,” Ajay Aggarwal, owner of Geste Beer and Wine explained to DC News Now.
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The family-owned shop that’s been operating for over a decade in the heart of Bethesda said they lost $1,200 in two days.
The first robbery of two occurred on Monday roughly around six in the evening. Aggarwal added the second robbery occurred on Tuesday at the same time and suspects the perpetrator may be the same person who robbed them on Monday.
Video obtained by DC News Now shows a man waving his gun to one of Aggarwal’s employees, demanding money. His employees, as instructed by their employer, ran for safety.
“That is what is hurting me actually, the gun part,” Aggarwal stressed. “If anyone can walk in Bethesda with a gun and he can do it two days in row… that is the troubling part.”
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Aggarwal, who has owned his business for 14 years, said he would have never “imagined to live through something like this before.”
His employees are safe and were not injured, but Aggarwal said he worries for his employees’ safety going forward as his business is not the first in the area to be robbed at gunpoint.
According to Montgomery County Police (MCPD), a tobacco shop, feet away from Aggarwal’s wine shop was robbed on April 28th. Authorities are seeking help in finding those suspects and it is unclear if the robberies are related.
“Will it be safe tomorrow?” Aggarwal asked as he called for an increase of police presence in the area. “Is it safe for other businesses in Montgomery County?”
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