Three Masked Robbers Hold Up Grocery Store in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Three young men with their faces covered walked into a grocery store in the Misión de las Flores neighborhood of Playa del Carmen, took cash and merchandise and scuffled with a female employee before fleeing, according to reports circulating this week.

The robbery has revived concerns among local shopkeepers about the safety of their businesses and their staff, coming after at least two similar holdups at convenience stores in the city in recent days.

Security cameras captured the robbery

Surveillance footage from the store shows one of the suspects heading straight for the checkout area to grab the cash on hand while the other two worked the aisles, collecting merchandise.

One employee tried to stop the robbery and confronted one of the suspects, but could not halt the raid, which unfolded in a matter of seconds before all three men fled the premises.

Workers were left badly shaken by the incident, according to the reports, which did not say whether anyone was injured or whether a formal complaint had been filed with the State Prosecutor’s Office.

Second robbery in days, no arrests

The case follows another robbery last week, when a man entered a different store in Playa del Carmen, threatened employees and escaped with 7,000 pesos (about $400) in cash. No arrests have been reported in either case.

Business owners in the area have called for more police patrols around Misión de las Flores, citing a rise in robberies targeting small businesses in recent weeks.