Police: Crooks rob, shoot gas station clerk

Surveillance footage may help track down suspects

HOUSTON – Three crooks are on the run after they shot and robbed a gas station clerk in southwest around 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Houston police said three armed men stormed into a Phillips 66 store on Beechnut near Cook Road after the clerk unlocked the door to hand them a pack of cigarettes.  

Investigators say once inside, the robbers shoved the clerk to the side and stole more than $4,000 in cash from the register and the deposit bag.  They also grabbed more than 60 packs of cigarettes.  

But even after the armed robbery, the crooks weren't done.  One of the thugs walked back in the store, looked at the clerk standing behind the bulletproof glass and opened fire with a high-powered rifle.   

One of the bullets went through the glass and hit the clerk. The robbers left the scene driving a gray or silver sports car.

The clerk was taken to a local hospital to be checked out and is expected to survive.

Police hope surveillance footage will help them track down the criminals. If you know anything, give police a call.