Two staff and one customer at a small computer retailer in Burwood Heights in Sydney's west were allegedly held at gun and knife point on Monday night.
It is alleged that at 6:30pm last night the robbers entered the retail shop of Australia Computer Online, one carrying a 12-inch knife and the other a pistol. They allegedly bound and gagged two shop occupants and stole a 'substantial amount' of computer equipment and cash.
Speaking to CRN, Stuart Smith, crime manager at Burwood Police, alleged that one of the offenders assaulted the staff, but there were no 'extensive injuries' to the victims.
During the robbery -- which lasted for 90 minutes -- a customer entered and was also held by the robbers. Smith alleged a 'firearm was placed at a victim's head and the victim was threatened if they didn't comply with the robber's demands.
Burwood Police called to the scene collected DNA and fingerprint evidence which was being processed, Smith said. There were no security cameras in operation in the store, he claimed.
Smith said the first offender, carrying the pistol in his jeans, was described as a skinny, Vietnamese male between the ages of 25 and 30. The second, carrying a knife, is also alleged to be a skinny Vietnamese male aged 40.
The remaining two offenders were also Vietnamese, aged 20 and 18 years, Smith alleged.
Smith said laptops -- being high-end products -- are targeted by thieves in the metropolitan area.
Staff at the Burwood store confirmed that they'd been robbed on Monday night. It is believed that over the past two months other computer retailers in the Strathfield and Lidcombe area have been the victims of robberies.
Anyone with information can contact Burwood Police on (02) 9745 1333.
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