Aggravated robbery in East Austin caught on camera

AUSTIN, Texas - A cell phone store employee tells FOX 7 she feared for her life after being robbed at knife-point.

It was all caught on surveillance camera. The woman recounts the terrifying moment hoping the suspect will be found. 

"Stop. No," said Maria Yanez, victim, Boost Mobile sales representative. 

A very shaken store employee - Maria Yanez is seen trying to shield herself and her sister from an armed robber.

"It didn't seem real to me at all. I couldn't believe that was happening," said Yanez. 

The robbery happened around 3:00 Monday afternoon at the Boost Mobile store on the 2200 block of East Riverside Drive. Surveillance video captures it all from beginning to end. 

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God...stop," said Yanez. 

Yanez said the suspect posed as a customer before things turned violent. 

"He mumbled something and that's whenever he pulled out the knife that he had. I stepped back. From there, I was shocked. I was just thinking that he was joking, that it wasn't real," said Yanez.

During that time, Yanez's little sister came into the store to drop off her lunch. She tried to protect her from the man. 

"Stop. No, please," said Yanez.

He can be heard demanding money from the register, then forcing them to go to the back room.

"He was telling me how if I came back, or if I got out from the office, that he was going to stab me," said Yanez.

The store manager tells us the suspect has been in the store before. She posted the video on social media hoping someone will recognize him and turn him into police. 

"I honestly got real scared, especially because I had to open the next day. I wasn't even there but seeing her reaction and thinking wow, it was two minutes after I left. It could have gotten worse because I don't know what I would have done," said Yanez.

Store management has already stepped up security. Yanez is still shaken up, hoping no one else will have to go through what she and her sister did.

"That they can catch him because that's horrible," said Yanez.

The Austin Police Department is investigating this incident as an aggravated robbery. You're asked to call them if you recognize the man in the video.