A Winnipeg pawn shop owner is speaking out after a violent robbery at his McPhillips Street location.

In his 25 years in business, Pawn Traders owner Richard Doering told CTV News on Fridat that he has never seen such a serious crime.

“Having shotguns and machetes during a store robbery, that’s another level,” Doering said.

Doering shared security video with CTV News of the two-and-a-half minute ordeal on Memorial Day.

The video, from different angles, shows a customer standing outside the store with a member of staff. The suspects burst in, jumped over the counter, one of them pointed a shotgun at the employees, another held a machete.

“They pointed a shotgun and a machete at my two employees and told me, ‘Don’t move or we’ll shoot,'” Doering said.

They appear to take money from the front and, while holding staff at gunpoint, the suspects go to the back and take other items. They then leave the pawnshop.

Doering says his team is still shaken by the incident.

“One guy is obviously on stress leave, and I don’t know if he’ll ever come back,” Doering said.

He shares the video with CTV News Winnipeg and speaks out to show how dangerous the retail crime problem is becoming.

“You have the Giant Tigers, the 7-Elevens, I mean, it’s all retail theft, but now we’re moving into shotguns and machetes,” Doering said.

The theft comes the same week the NDP government announced its crime-fighting plan, which includes 12 new police officers to expand the retail theft initiative and make it permanent. The program sees officers patrolling hot spots.

Doering thinks it would help, but he says stricter bail rules and penalties would send a stronger message.

“It’s now about people’s lives, not just merchandise,” Doering said. “If they get caught, they need to set a precedent for these guys, you use a gun, you need to go away for ten years, not one.”

The NDP also released a bail plan earlier this year. It includes electronic monitoring and $3 million for new police officers to deal with offenders who breach bail conditions.