Armed robber steals $30,000 and passports from New Jersey Halal meat shop

Police are hunting for an armed robber who held up a New Jersey Halal butchery and market, making off with $30,000 and passports.

The robbery happened Sept. 21 at Paradise Halal Meat in Paterson, with surveillance video obtained Saturday by News 12 New Jersey showing a masked man bursting into an office in the back of the business, which is both a butchery and a marketplace, and then pointing a gun at storeowner Abdelgawad Elsayed.

"Hurry up, give me everything, the suspect shouts. "Put everything in the bag."

Elsayed quickly complies and hands over all the cash — some $30,000 — from a drawer, video shows.

At another point, the robber can be seen holding up the phone and showing Elsayed a photo of a woman he apparently knows.

"Give me the paper," the man adds, referring to documents, including passports and Social Security numbers.

Elsayed again complies.

The storeowner's son, Mohammed Elsayed, told News 12 his father was "terrified" and left traumatized by the encounter.

"He hasn't been coming to the store since that happened," Mohammed said. "It's kind of difficult to have someone point a gun at you,"

Mohammed also explained why there was so much cash at the store.

"We buy every week, between $30,000 and $40,000 worth of meat from the auction," he told the news station.

Patterson law enforcement authorities are asking anyone with information about the case to contact police. No other details were provided.