Royal Blue Grocery to go cashless after armed robbery

Royal Blue Grocery armed robbery in downtown

One of Austin’s most popular grocery chains is now making a big change to how it operates after one of its locations was robbed at gunpoint.

AUSTIN, Texas - One of Austin’s most popular grocery chains is now making a big change to how it operates after one of its locations was robbed at gunpoint.

Royal Blue Grocery robbery

The backstory:

On Tuesday, Nov. 11, around 11:50 p.m., store video captured a suspect pacing in front of the Royal Blue Grocery on Nueces and 4th Street. He then reached for a gun in his bag and entered through the front door.

The suspect was seen pointing the gun directly at the cashier, demanding cash from the registers, as well as a safe hidden behind the counter. In just about 30 seconds, the suspect was in and out, taking off with about $2,000 in cash.

"It’s kind of a shock to the system for something like this to happen," says owner Craig Staley.

Dig deeper:

This is far from the first time that Royal Blue Grocery has been the victim of this sort of crime. 

Back in September, the location on 3rd and Lavaca was hit by multiple break-ins in a matter of days, as a man kicked open the front doors to steal mostly cigarettes. 

Staley says that some sort of action needs to be taken to keep these from becoming a common occurrence.

"We just need the city to realize there’s an issue here and to pay more attention to it," he said.

Royal Blue Grocery break-ins

Multiple break-ins in a matter of days have left Royal Blue Grocery looking for help.

Staley claims APD has been extremely supportive when it comes to assisting their downtown locations, but says there just aren't enough officers to keep up with demand. 

Staley says he’s had meetings with District 9 Councilman Zohaib Zo Qadri, who represents Downtown Austin, on how to increase safety in places like Nueces Street, but hasn’t received much help.

"He’ll have meetings and he’ll take notes. He’s very concerned, he’ll tell you that. Public safety is a big concern of his, but we don’t see any activity, any action. We’re not getting any benefit down here from his engagement," says Staley.

What they're saying:

Qadri's office provided the following statement to FOX 7 Austin:

"Our office takes public safety seriously, and we are committed to supporting every business and resident in District 9. I want to express my concern for the Royal Blue Grocery employees who experienced this frightening incident, and I’m grateful they are safe.

We have met with the owners of Royal Blue Grocery on multiple occasions over the past year. Earlier this year, we connected them directly with Chief Davis and APD leadership, and we have continued to link them with the appropriate departments to address safety issues near their stores.

As a Council Member, I am not a law enforcement authority, but I have used every tool available to my office to push for better coordination and clearer reporting pathways. Council brought forward the No Wrong Door proposal to help ensure that people seeking assistance are not bounced between agencies. Chief Davis has confirmed there are no additional actions the City Council can take within our legal authority regarding this case.

We value our small businesses and understand the real impacts of crime. My office remains focused on collaborative, evidence-based approaches to make our neighborhoods safer, and we will continue working with business owners, community members, and public safety partners to support safety in District 9." 

What's next:

Now the grocery chain is taking security into its own hands, changing what forms of payments it will take. Beginning as soon as next week, Royal Blue Grocery locations will be going cashless.

"We just made the decision that it is now something that is now putting our employees at risk," says Staley.

According to APD, the suspect in the armed robbery left the scene before police arrived. They would not confirm if there were any leads at this time.