Workers at this auto shop told us when they saw the thieves driving back through the area minutes after the crime they had to act fast. The workers tried chasing the crooks down and shots were fired.
It's back to business as usual at Riley's Performance and Auto in Grangerland. But workers here say Tuesday was anything but ordinary when the driver of a silver Pontiac Sunfire walked in.
"He never would look me in the eye. He had a cap on, and he was just always looking down," said Jared Riley.
He says the man approached him trying to sell some old tools outside. On surveillance video, you can see his female passenger petting the auto shop's dogs as a theft is going down inside.
"We found the money box over on the couch, open, sprawled out everywhere and I'm the only person who has the key to it," Jared said.
The workers say the man pried open the cash box while they were distracted taking some cash and two check books.
"It's getting worse and worse and worse. The business owners around here are getting hit left and right," said John Riley.
John was returning from an errand as the man and woman drove off. His staff alerted him about the robbery and they quickly called 911.
"While we were on the phone with the sheriff's department, the guy drove right past here, and looks straight at Tim and looked straight back," John said.
He says they watched the alleged crooks drive to a nearby gas station and hopped in their own cars to chase after them.
"He immediately did a 180 in the car and took off. I turned my car sideways trying to block him and told him to freeze and he decided he didn't want to freeze," said John.
The driver tried running him over as he sped off, John says, so he fired his pistol at the car. Now Montgomery County sheriff's detectives are investigating.
The workers here say detectives told them deputies were able to track down and seize the getaway car. The investigation into the alleged suspects and the shop owner's actions are still ongoing.
