Police looking for suspects in shoe repair shop robbery

ELKHART, Ind. – Police are looking for four individuals suspected of robbing Tony’s Shoe Repair on Saturday morning.

The owner, Tony Sergio, describes the robbery as an inside job. He said he hired the woman to work for him last week and just a couple of days later he said she and another man allegedly robbed him. 

According to Elkhart Police, the suspects, a man and woman in their early 20s, entered the store and forced an employee behind the counter to open the register. 

Sergio said he hired the woman to sew shoe soles and help around the store. He said on her first and last day he saw her looking inside of a blue bank pouch, that had his personal bank information. 

He said he asked her what she was doing and the woman said nothing. On Saturday, Sergio said she came back to the store upset and with another man. 

He said she told him that he accused her of stealing and then demanded him to give her the blue bank pouch. Sergio said he told her the pouch wasn't in the store anymore. 

"She started to get mad and scream," he said. 

Sergio said the woman threw items off of the counter. Then she went over to a wall in the store that's lined with designer handbags and pulled down a Louis Vuitton duffel bag. 

"She picked it up," Sergio said. "Put it over here and left."

While at the same time, the woman's friend was taking about $70 out of the cash register. 

The pair reportedly got away with the cash and duffel bag, while fleeing to a black SUV with two other people inside.

Sergio said he will be beefing up his security system, adding cameras inside and outside of the story. 

If you have any information regarding this incident, contact EPD.