PALMVIEW – A popular restaurant in Palmview was robbed by an armed suspect during its busiest time of day on Tuesday.

The business owner said the theft happened in a matter of seconds. No one expected someone would target the restaurant.

“We’ve been here four, five months. We didn’t expect this to happen to us in a short amount of time,” Taqueria El Noretño owner said.

He wanted his identity hidden. He said he still fears for his safety.

The owner said the restaurant is his dream come true for him.

“The illusion, for the family business, with the hope that we will do well and be here every day,” he said.

He never expected the dinner rush hour to become primetime for a crime scene. On Tuesday night, a man entered the restaurant, hiding his identity with a bandana over his face.

The owner said he thought it was a prank until the man pointed a gun at him and at customers.

Police said what made this business an easy target was proximity. Once inside the robber didn’t have to go far to gain access to the cash register. It’s immediately to the left once inside the building.

Witnesses told police the man spoke in Spanish demanding cash from the register and ordering everyone to look away. He took off after he had the cash and left with another suspect in a black Charger.

Palmview Police Captain Saul Uvalle said he’s looking for evidence to track down the suspects.

“We need to get these criminals off the street, because you know, their crimes can tend to get more violent. Right now it’s just a brandishing of the weapon, we don’t know what he’ll do next time,” he said.

The owner said his heart skipped a beat every time a new customer walked in on Wednesday. He hopes time will return his sense of peace.

The restaurant didn’t have a surveillance system. The owner said he’s going to add surveillance cameras inside and outside his property.

He’s also going to relocate the cash register.

According to police, the main suspect is a 5 foot 5 inch Hispanic male, weighing around 150 pounds. They said the man had a blue bandana over his face.

The vehicle is believed to be a black Dodge Charger 2014 model. Anyone with information is asked to call the Palmview Crime Stoppers at (956) 584-8477.

Uvalle offered some tips for anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation. He said gathering information from witnesses after a crime scene is tricky.

He said people need to remember key characteristics; it helps police create a better description of a suspect.

Examples of what to keep in mind are tattoos, scars, deformities and even accents.

Uvalle said it helps if people stick to only what they saw and can remember.