“Will I see my children again?”; The owner recalls a daring robbery that was caught on surveillance camera

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — For Dawood Aldailam, August 19, 2024 started out as a normal day at his Good Brothers store in northwest Baltimore.

However, on this day, Aldailam was the victim of an armed robbery.

The United States Marshals Service has now joined the search for one of the two suspects wanted in connection with the case.

Byron Powell, 61, is wanted for armed robbery, according to the federal agency.

“It was a slow day,” Aldailam said. “There weren’t many people in the store and then two older guys walked in.”

Surveillance video shows both men waving at Aldaylam, who was standing behind the register. Then the men start walking back and forth in the aisles.

Aldailam said that when he finished checking on other customers, the men asked him to help them find ice cream in the freezer.

“I remember I only had one ice cream sandwich left in the freezer, so I thought they must not see it. I went behind the counter, went back to the freezer and got an ice cream sandwich.’

But Aldailam said he quickly realized the men weren’t there for the ice cream.

“One guy put a gun in my face and another guy put a gun in my back,” Aldailam said. “I was told not to move. I raised my hands and told them what you want to take, take it.”

Aldailam said the men first took the cash in his pockets, as well as his gun, which was in his pants, before leading him back to the cash register.

Surveillance video shows one suspect leading Aldaylam through an aisle armed with two handguns while another suspect follows with a gun pressed to Aldaylam’s back.

Another camera recorded how the suspects entered the closed registration area together with Aldailam.

Aldailam said that at that moment he began to fear for his life.

“When we were in a closed room with them, I was nervous. I was scared. I asked myself, will I see my children again today or not? At that point I really thought this might be it. Any move I would have made, they could have shot me,” Aldailam said.

Surveillance video shows one suspect removing hundreds of dollars in cash from the cash register and removing cartons of cigarettes from the back shelves.

During the robbery, two other customers can be seen in the video entering the store and approaching the counter, unaware of what is happening on the other side of the Plexiglas.

“I think the customers kind of scared them off,” Aldailam said. “They started rushing and just ran out of the store.”

Aldailam called the police.

According to charging documents, responding officers reviewed surveillance footage from both inside and outside the store and used that footage, along with MVA footage, to identify Powell as one of the suspects.

Court records show Powell’s criminal history dates back to the 1990s, with most of his arrests centered around drugs.

Aldailam said he did not know the suspect and did not recognize any of them.

The owner and father expressed their disappointment in the crime.

“Sometimes I feel like I just want to shut down and just go away. It’s really not worth it. It’s not worth it, Aldailam said.

Investigators have not yet announced whether they have identified or detained the second suspect.

Anyone with information on Powell’s whereabouts is asked to contact the US Marshals Service at 202-819-5058.