Robber armed with syringe caught on camera trying to hold up gas station

A robber armed with a syringe was caught on camera while trying to hold up a gas station in Dorchester on Friday.

Boston Police say a female suspect is in custody, who is believed to be the driver of the getaway car in the incident.

Witnesses say they did their best to take down the man who held up Express Gas on Morrissey Boulevard, who was dressed in black when he threatened to stick the clerk with a needle.

"I got cancer, AIDS," the man said. "Will you just give me the money? I don't want to hurt you."

The robber can be seen on surveillance video grabbing cash from the register before fleeing Express Gas, but he didn't get away easily.

"I was waiting for my car being repaired, I heard the attendant screaming," a customer named Jay said.

The clerk ran outside, calling for help from auto shop workers next door. Mechanic Jamiah Shaw followed, while a customer holding soup ran to help, as well.

"Honest to go, I didn't think about it," Shaw said. "I just went right after the guy. That was it. Thinking back, it was kind of a stupid idea to do, you know? Chase after the guy. Who knows what the hell he was carrying?"

Shaw punched the suspect, knocking him into a getaway car with a woman behind the wheel.

"He tackled him, they grabbed the guy," Jay said.

In his own car, the auto shop owner named Mike tried to block the pair from leaving.

"I wish I could’ve gotten out of the car and done some running myself," Mike said. "But, at least we were able to grab the plate number before they bounced, which helped a lot."

Boston Police interviewed the clerk and quickly arrested the female suspect.

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"We just wanted people in the neighborhood to know we are not the kind of people you want to target," Mike said. "We’ll go after you. We’ll get you."

Some witnesses wish they could've taken down both suspects, but feel good about the work they were able to do.

"You should see what I can do without crutches," Mike said.

Boston Police have yet to arrest the man in the robbery.

Cox Media Group