Store manager invokes Jesus, dissuades robber
Surveillance video footage of a young Christian talking a gunman out of robbing her cell phone store last week has become an Internet sensation.
The tape shows a man entering the MetroPCS store in Pompano Beach, Fla., last Friday, approaching the manager, identified in media reports as 20-year-old Nayara Goncalves, showing her a gun and demanding money.
But Goncalves changes the subject.
“Know what?” she asks. “I'm just gonna talk with you about the Jesus I have.”
She identifies herself as a Christian.
“You know you don't need this, Jesus got something way better for you,” she says. “For everyone that's out there. I'm not blaming you, I'm not judging. I don't know what you are going through, but all of us are going through a hard time right now – a very hard time right now.”
The man appears to agree.
“That's why I refuse to do anything to anybody out in the streets,” he says. “I've never done this before.”
He says he attends Calvary Chapel. Gonclaves says she has been there, too.
“I love Pastor Bob,” she says.
The man says he is married and has a job, but needs $300 or he will be evicted. Goncalves says she will be held responsible for replacing any money he steals.
He gives up.
``I don't want to do that to you," he says, and apologizes. "I understand you still have to call the police."
Goncalves urges the man to go back to church. He tells her it was a BB gun: "That's how great I am at this.''
Police are looking for the man.
Comments
Amazing faith! What a angel of a woman! Lord, please bless her for her kindness and faith! I pray for blessings for the man who is in so much pain! So beautiful thank you for posting this amazing story! God bless you!
Posted by: Dana | July 30, 2010 6:49 PM
He called off the robbery and said he was sorry. I can' t believe the police still want to arrest this guy. This guy needs help not prosecution.
Posted by: Peter Piper | July 30, 2010 7:54 PM
If I waked into a store and someone behind the counter stated spouting Jesus at me, I would be more inclined to off them strait off, just to shut them up.
Posted by: Robert Littel | July 30, 2010 10:09 PM
Thanks for clarifying your values Robert.
Posted by: Dana LaRocca | July 30, 2010 11:08 PM
My question exactly. Why are the cops looking for him? Someone should look for him to help him. What a wonderful witness to the love of God by this young lady. I pray for her that she may continue her journey in loving as Christ did and for this troubled man, that he gets the help he needs.
Robert, I pray for you too!
God bless
Marianne, Sri Lanka
Posted by: Marianne Johnpillai | July 31, 2010 12:21 AM
JESUS IS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES - THE HOLIEST AND THE MOST SACRED NAME. Evil spirits cannot bear to hear Jesus' name. The man is oppressed by evil spirits that are taking advantage of his vulnerable, painful and desperate situation. These evil spirits are influencing him to commit a sin. But the Name of Jesus said with conviction, deep faith, strong beliefs and trust of the Christian storeperson sent the evil spirits fleeing. The man came to his senses and apologised. He was helped to overcome the temptation by the power of Jesus' Name. Praise be to God now and forever. Amen. I love Jesus Christ.
Posted by: Ruby | July 31, 2010 8:19 AM
Made tears come to my eyes - it's so refreshing to see young people having a strong faith in our lord jesus Christ - God bless her and all those who turn to Jesus.
Posted by: Greg C | July 31, 2010 10:37 AM
that its what it hapen wen someone good try to make something bad,hes no robber hes just a desperate guy trying to old hes life and i hope somebody out there find him and help him ,hes trying to be criminal but hes just cant god bless him.
Posted by: manel | July 31, 2010 1:38 PM
It didn't work for long, He was arrested about three hours later robbing another store:From the Palm Beach Post:A Coral Springs man arrested on charges of robbing a Payless Shoe Store at gunpoint has now been slapped with addition criminal charges.Investigators say he's the same man who walked into a Metro PCS store intent on robbing it -- only to have the store manager talk him out of it by urging him to seek Jesus.The whole thing was captured on a store surveillance video.Broward Sheriff's robbery detectives say it was Israel Camacho, 37, the video they released of an attempted robbery last Friday at the Pompano Beach cellphone store.
jm0550 1:26 PM
Posted by: kwolf443 | July 31, 2010 5:28 PM
Looks like the "Jesus Fix" didn't take. The guy stuck up a shoe store two hours later and is now in custody.
Posted by: Robert Littel | July 31, 2010 6:56 PM
Wow! Jesus changed his heart just for a couple of hours--he walks out of the store and around the corner another store awaits robbery and he says this Israel guy, "Lord, forgive me for I know not what I do!" and he promptly sticks up someone else--the woman simply saved herself but she did not save the guy--if you want to save yourself from molestation and marauder then spouting the Jesus name with just the right amount of sincerity in your voice may give the thugs pause but if you imagine that you may be saving the thugs while you are at saving yourself--forget it--that job ain't easy for Jesus, Allah or Yahweh--the obdurate thugs too are the creations of these gods according to the religionists isn't it? The cup of creation runneth over with the flaws engendered by the fictitious creators called gods.
R Anon
Posted by: Anonymous | July 31, 2010 8:37 PM
Now that's what I call Jesus` mercy in action throught that beautiful woman for a soul in great spiritual need! Let us hope the police will equally show him mercy. For if mercy was and is and will be shown to us by our Lord, so we have the love and duty to do likewise to others.
Posted by: Sr. Carol R. | August 1, 2010 12:45 AM
- VIDEO: Rabbi Reveals Name of the Messiah... Shortly before he died, one of Israel's most prominent rabbis wrote the name of the Messiah on a small note which he requested would remain sealed until now. When the note was opened, it revealed what many have known for centuries: Yehoshua, or Yeshua (Jesus), is the Messiah. Full story:
http://cristiannegureanu.blogspot.com/2010/07/rabbi-reveals-name-of-messiah.html
Posted by: Fred | August 1, 2010 2:12 AM
Robert & Anon - It's kind of sad you both almost seem happy that someone committed a crime. I I can't imagine disliking anything to such a degree. Not that you care but the reason the robbery happened is called free will. We have to choose the path we follow.
Posted by: ravensfan | August 2, 2010 1:12 PM
ravensfan - "free will", hell, I'll bet desperation had more to do with it. It is never an event to celebrate when someone is driven to such acts.
Posted by: Robert Littel | August 2, 2010 5:05 PM
Robert - Desperation may well have been the motivation, but a choice was still made. I agree it is an event to celebrate when someone is driven to such acts which is why I commented on Annon's and your posts.
Posted by: ravensfan | August 2, 2010 5:45 PM
Bobbie are you are saying desperate people don't make choices?
Posted by: Anonymous | August 2, 2010 6:25 PM
This no accusse to rob anyone even in tough times, to take from other to benifit yourself is a selfish act and a person deserves what ever out come that comes with that . No one wants to be evicted and lose everything they own and doing what you had too do is not always the right choice and now he is in jail to think about his action and the whole give your heart to jesus bit was just one big show.
Posted by: kwolf443 | August 2, 2010 9:16 PM
On peut tout dire à Dieu. Ce qui est important dans la prière, c’est la réponse que Dieu nous donne. Le cours Alpha possède un bon enseignement dans ce sens. Si le robber avait su prié, ces choses ne seraient pas arrivées. « Si personne ne leur dit comment vont ils le savoir » :
Romains 10:14 Comment donc invoqueront-ils celui en qui ils n’ont pas cru? Et comment croiront-ils en celui dont ils n’ont pas entendu parler? Et comment en entendront-ils parler, s’il n’y a personne qui prêche?
Romains 10:15 Et comment y aura-t-il des prédicateurs, s’ils ne sont pas envoyés? selon qu’il est écrit: Qu’ils sont beaux Les pieds de ceux qui annoncent la paix, De ceux qui annoncent de bonnes nouvelles!
Posted by: Alain | August 10, 2010 8:30 AM
LOL to the comment posted by Alain like we all speak and understand any of that, and the baltimore sun printed it too what a bunch of bobbleheads.
Posted by: kwolf443 | August 11, 2010 8:19 AM
kwolf443 - Since you have trouble with french allow me to translate
They can say everything to God. What is important in request, it is the answer which God gives us. Lesson Alpha has a good education in this sense. If the robber had known asked, these things would not have arrived. If nobody says to them how go them to know it
Romans 10:14 How therefore will they invoke the one in whom they did not believe? And how will they believe in the one about whom they did not intend to speak? And how will they intend it to speak, if there is nobody who preaches?
Romans 10:15 And how will there be preachers, if they are not sent? depending on whether it is write: That they are nice The feet of those who announce the peace, Of those who announce good news!
Posted by: Anonymous | August 11, 2010 12:12 PM
I understood Alain's comment better than some of the other comments posted here recently.
Posted by: Camille Quelquejeu | August 11, 2010 12:17 PM