Nederland business robbed at gunpoint Monday morning; shot fired to open safe

Published 12:31 am Tuesday, July 27, 2021

NEDERLAND — Three masked robbers reportedly tried to force a clerk to open a safe at a Nederland business early this morning, but when they realized he wasn’t able to, they fired a shot at the safe.

Nederland Police Chief Gary Porter said the robbery took place at approximately 4:30 a.m. Monday at Vape City in the 2800 block of FM 365.

The three men entered the store, pointed a gun at the clerk and told him to open the safe. The clerk told the robbers he was unable to open the safe because it has an electronic timer.

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The men then started kicking the safe, trying to get the device to open. At one point someone fired a shot at the safe but the assailants were still unable to open it, Porter said.

The men reportedly let the clerk out of the building and he went to nearby CVS, where he contacted police.

The robbers reportedly took cash from the register and fled.

No injuries were reported.

According to its website, the business is open 24-hours a day.

Porter said as of 9:30 a.m. Monday he did not have a description of the suspects.