SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A cashier at the Old Airport Road Reddi Mart enduring a terrifying evening last week, after a man threatened her at knife-point and cleaned out the store's cash register.

Lina Cooper, manager of the Reddi Mart on Old Airport Road, stands behind the counter at her store on Nov. 12. The store was robbed by a man brandishing a knife Wednesday night at around 8:15 p.m. - Tim Edwards/NNSL photo

"She's terrified ... she's taken a few days (off)," said Lina Cooper, who manages the convenience store which sits at the edge of Frame Lake Trail, next to bustling traffic at the corner of Byrne and Old Airport Road.

Cooper said she is kind of shaken up herself, but not scared to work, if only because she wasn't there when it happened.

The cashier, who Cooper said is an older lady, was working the store alone while her co-worker was in the back emptying a mop bucket. The whole incident took place in a matter of minutes, maybe seconds, according to Cooper.

The robber, described as a young aboriginal male who was dressed in black and had most of his face covered, came in between 8 and 8:15 p.m., and told her she was being robbed. According to Cooper, he grabbed her and came behind the counter, brandishing a knife, and told the cashier words to the effect like: "open the till and give me the money or I'll kill you."

He took all the bills, amounting to about $450, and took off, said Cooper. The cashier was not hurt during the robbery, but she no longer has any desire to work the night shift. It was her third day on the job.

Cooper said, through looking at security footage, the young man and another person were waiting outside for a long time, looking in through the door every so often, before the robber made his move.

An RCMP press release issued Friday said police are hoping to speak with two possible witnesses who left the store at about 8 p.m.

"They might not even realize it but they might know something," said Const. Todd Scaplen.

They were both females. One wore a purple winter jacket and the other was wearing a blue Ski-Doo jacket.

RCMP arrived at 8:34 p.m. and immediately made a patrol of the area, according to police. The investigation is still ongoing and there are currently no suspects.