San Leandro liquor store feels targeted after recent strong-arm robberies

A San Leandro store worker said she was robbed twice since May and thinks it's the same suspects.

Both robberies were caught on camera at Mel's Liquors on Manor Boulevard. She is worried the thieves might be targeting her and that they will come back.

She wants police to do more.

Surveillance video showed one of the strong arm robberies around 12:30 in the afternoon Thursday. A man was seen asking for an item before turning around, grabbing items off a shelf and running out the store. 

She chased after the thief.  

At the same time inside, a second man also stole an item.  

ALSO: 13-year-old girl hit by bullet fragment in San Leandro shooting

The worker asked KTVU not to reveal her identity.

When asked how she was feeling, the worker replied, "Nervous, scared. We are from another country. We are here to work but look at them, I don't like it. It's hard."

The worker said she's from Nepal and that she's upset that there were witnesses, but nobody came to her aid.  

"In our country if somebody steals like that and if somebody sees it, they would help out," said the worker. 

She suspects the thieves are targeting her, and she is worried because they stay open late.

"They just come when I'm here at night. We're open until 2," she said. "They have more chances to rob at 2. There is no people. But they come on my shift because I'm an easy target."

Surveillance video showed the first robbery on May 20. There was a third thief: a woman wearing green in addition to two men. 

The store owner estimated the loss to be about $1,700, tough for a small business. 

ALSO: Vacaville police arrest 2 suspects in armed robbery of liquor store

"It's upsetting that they have to go through this," said Bob, a customer who declined to give his last name. "Nobody's doing anything about the proper punishment. That's the way I look at it. There should be more punishment for crime."

"I just feel sorry for them. They're trying to do a good thing here, and they're getting taken advantage of," said customer Rod Erks who lives nearby.  

The store owner shared an image of the suspect vehicle, a small white Dodge truck.

There was a license plate, but police said the truck was a stolen vehicle.  

Amber Lee is a reporter with KTVU. Email Amber at Amber.Lee@Fox.com or text/leave message at 510-599-3922. Follow her on Facebook @AmberKTVU, Instagram @AmberKTVU or Twitter @AmberKTVU