Troy

Police are investigating an armed robbery of Bob DeMeo's Discount Wine and Liquor on Campbell Avenue at 9 p.m. Saturday.

The thief is at large and the liquor store is offering a $1,000 reward for his whereabouts.

The crime occurred as Bob DeMeo and his husband Anthony DeRusso were locking the door to their store at 9 p.m., DeRusso said.

DeRusso, the store's general manager, said a man yelled from across the parking lot, asking to be let in. The man came in and shopped for a few minutes.

"He said he wanted a bottle of Hennessy, and then he pulled out a gun," DeRusso said. "Never in a million years did I think a gun was going to come out of his pocket."

He held the weapon to DeMeo's head, demanded money and took around $3,000 in cash, DeRusso said.

The robber walked off past the sinkhole that has closed Campbell Avenue to traffic before disappearing into the woods. He was last seen heading south on Donegal Avenue, Troy police said.

The man is described as around 6 feet tall and 190 pounds. He was wearing dark clothing and a winter cap.

DeRusso said he got a good look at the man's face. Although he looked familiar and could have been a prior customer, DeRusso said he didn't recognize him.

Watching security camera footage of the crime that took all of six minutes was shocking, he said, noting, "It almost looks like a TV show, that your face is in."

They noticed the suspect seemed hesitant about committing the crime.

"He was shopping, but it wasn't exactly shopping," DeRusso said. "You could tell he was thinking ... I don't think he was fully prepared for what he was going to do."

The emotional impact of the robbery did not register for DeRusso and DeMeo until Sunday morning.

"Last night, there was so much going on," DeRusso said. "Seeing a gun to anyone's head is just so much, let alone to your spouse. It's hard to describe it. It's an annoying pit in your stomach. There's anxiety."

DeRusso said repair work on the sinkhole on Campbell Avenue may have been a factor in the robbery because the road may have had less visibility due to fewer lights.

The robbery caps an eventful week for the residents of Campbell Avenue, where the sinkhole forced detours and delays.

"I'm just as shocked as anybody," said City Council member John Donohue, who represents the neighborhood. "My hope is that the community comes together and makes (DeMeo) feel like we have his back."

Troy police are asking anyone with information about the robbery to call 270-4411.

jlawrence@timesunion.com • 518-454-5467 • @jplawrence3