Man Assaulted Inside Essex Store

A 27-year-old man was assaulted and robbed Sunday night inside a discount store in Essex, authorities said.

According to police reports, the victim was walking around 7:30 p.m. to the Family Dollar store, located in the 1500 block of Country Ridge Lane, when a group of four males yelled obscenities at him.

When the victim entered the store, one of the males followed him in and began to fight with him, the police report stated. Then, police said, three other males entered the store and began to punch and kick the victim while he was on the ground.

Police said the males then ran away toward Back River Neck Road and Williams Avenue. When the victim returned to his feet, he discovered his wallet, which contained about $100, had been stolen.

According to police reports, video surveillance from the store’s security cameras confirmed the attack. The victim told police that the suspects were males, between 16 and 18 years old. He said that one of the males wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants and white shoes. The second male wore a white-hooded sweatshirt, black pants and white shoes.

The third male, the victim told police, wore a red hooded sweatshirt and black pants. The final victim, according to the report, wore a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants.