NEW ORLEANS — Surveillance video shows a well-known deli shop owner pistol whipped as his car was stolen just before 1 a.m. Thursday on Magazine street.
"I usually work late," said Dan Stein, owner of Stein's Market and Deli.
It happened as Stein was leaving his deli in the Irish Channel. The video shows a dark vehicle pull up next to Stein's car. Stein said four armed men demanded he get out the car then hit him.
"Put the keys in the ignition and all of a sudden a car pulled up next to me. I didn't think too much of it," Stein said. "Next thing I know there were two guys, looked like they were brandishing weapons, telling me to get out the car and stuff like that so I got out the car, they told me to get behind the car and keep walking and one of them cocked me in the eye and they took the car and left."
Stein said police arrived within 10 minutes of him calling 911. Police believe he was hit with a gun leaving him bleeding severely and requiring stitches.
"I was bleeding pretty profusely out my eye," he said.
Stein said the suspects were wearing masks.
"I'm going to guess late teens, early 20s," he said.
Stein was back at work Thursday, just hours after the incident.
"Work is kind of my place. It helps me get a routine going," Stein said.
He said he's never been a victim of crime like this.
"I've always been like, 'not me,' and it’s ironic because I just saw a post about someone getting carjacked in the Irish Channel earlier that day," Stein said.
Stein's loyal customers were glad to see him back at the deli Thursday, but concerned about what happened.
"First of all, Dan is one of the most outstanding members of the community," said Bob Weaver, a customer. "The Irish Channel is a tight group and when I heard about this on the heels of another carjacking at Fourth and Laurel yesterday, it makes me worried about this neighborhood."
According to NOPD reports, within a nine hour span Wednesday evening, there were five successful or attempted carjackings and car robberies in New Orleans.
On the 2600 block of Laurel Street just before 4 p.m. Wednesday, two armed men approached a woman's car and demanded her keys and vehicle. She complied. Then around 4:10 p.m. on the 800 block of Aline Street, two armed men approached a woman who got out of her car and demanded her key's. She screamed and the men ran off.
On Barrington Ct. and Bullard Ave., a man got out of his car and left his vehicle running. An armed suspect got in his car and drove off. Around 12:40 a.m. Thursday, three armed men approached a woman's car, pulled her out, and tried to take her car but couldn't start it. Ten minutes after that is when four men demanded Stein's car and hit him.
"If I had been like thinking more clearly and wittily at the time, I probably would have said, 'you really want to risk going to jail for a 2005 4Runner with a bumper that's glued on the front?' but whatever," Stein said.
Stein's vehicle is a light blue 2005 Toyota 4Runner. If you spot it, call police.