T-Mobile workers in Macedonia tied up and robbed

MACEDONIA, Ohio - Macedonia police are looking for leads after two men, wearing hooded sweatshirts and surgical masks, tied up two T-Mobile employees, and stole cash and nearly 200 cell phones.

It happened just before 8 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the T-Mobile store on E. Aurora Road in Macedonia.

Store manager Tracy Hamilton said the masked men forced her and another employee at gunpoint to a back room, told them to lay down on the floor, and tied up their wrists and ankles with duct tape. Hamilton said she feared for her life.

"Knowing that they had a gun, knowing that they were duct-taping us, putting us on the floor, you're just laying there completely vulnerable. You don't know if they are going to shoot you," Hamilton said.

Police said the robbery appeared to planned out. The crooks brought garbage bags into the store and filled them with the most expensive cell phones.

Sgt. Ken Turley said it was fortunate that no one was injured during the crime.

"Things can go terribly wrong during a robbery like this. Anything could happen. These subjects need to be caught," Sgt. Turley said.

Hamilton said the suspects were in the store for less than 5 minutes and then ran out a back door. Hamilton and her coworker freed themselves from the duct tape and called 911. Hamilton is convinced the intruders were not acting alone.

"One of the guys was on a phone and I could hear him talking to someone, letting them know that they were almost done. They were hurrying and he said, 'O.k., here we come,'" Hamilton said.

Police are hoping that someone will recognize a distinctive "S" or "$" that can be seen on the front of a brown sweatshirt that one of the suspects was wearing.

If you have any information on robbery, call Macedonia police or Summit County Crimestoppers at 330-434-COPS. You can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.