Video shows man jump counter at check cashing store, pistol-whip employee

Two men robbed a check cashing store in Miami Friday morning and locked the entrance, before one of them jumped a counter and pistol-whipped an employee. The two then took off in a car with tinted windows.

The violent robbery, clearly caught on surveillance video from behind the counter of Diva Multi Services at 5742 NW Second Ave., shows one of the gunmen jumping a counter, striking a woman working behind it, then knocking over a computer and screens before climbing back over the counter and leaving.

The 1:22 video begins with a woman standing behind the counter in front of a window and two computer screens. A few seconds into the video a man wearing all black jumps off the counter and the woman backs away. He approaches her and wraps his arm around her head.

As the man backs off, the woman points to what appears to be where the money or checks are kept. He heads back toward her with a gun pointed at her, then pulls out a black bag and demands she put the money in it.

At one point he appears to punch and pistol-whip the woman. Then he leaves climbing back over the wall and knocking over the two monitors. Police said the men took off in a newer-model Lexus with tinted windows.

Both men are described as between 25 and 30 years old and about five feet, eight inches tall. One is slight, weighing about 140 pounds. The other is closer to 180 pounds, police said. The man who locked the entrance door and isn’t seen in the video was wearing a black sweater and white shorts.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Miami police robbery unit at 305-603-6370 or Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

This story was originally published October 31, 2016 at 9:49 PM with the headline "Video shows man jump counter at check cashing store, pistol-whip employee."