The Seven Corners Shell Station was robbed yesterday evening.

The Seven Corners Shell Station was robbed yesterday evening.

According to police reports, at around 9 p.m., a suspect entered the store and brandished a black, semi-automatic handgun, then removed cash from the register.

According to store owner Hichem Bankahla, the man took about $1,200 from the register.

Police describe the suspect as a man, possibly Asian, around 5’7″ to 5’10”, weighing between 180 and 220 pounds.  According to reports, he was wearing what may have been a grey vest with a faded design on the back, which was worn over a black hooded sweatshirt.  He was also said to be wearing jeans and black shoes.

“It all happened in a matter of seconds,” Bankahla said.

The store records security videos, but Bankahla said the suspect could not be identified from the footage.

“We saw everything in the video, but we cannot see his face, Bankahla said. “He was hiding his face.” The service station owner added that the suspect also did not touch anything left in the store, and thus did not leave fingerprints.

Bankahla said that there was one employee in the store at the time, the night cashier, and that the employee was not injured in the incident.

Bankahla said that police were on the scene of the 24-hour service station until 11 p.m. last night, and added that it was unusual that the robbery occurred so early in the evening.

“I don’t know how this happened,” Bankahla said. “It’s always safe in this area. We hear a couple things going on but we never have things happen at our station.”

Bankahla said that in his three years owning the station, there has never been a robbery.

The Seven Corners Shell Station is located at 6623 Wilson Blvd., Falls Church.