ASTORIA, Queens (WABC) — The owner of a cell phone store in Queens was shot Friday night while trying to fight off armed robbers who wanted his Rolex.

After the robbery, Top in Town Wireless in Astoria was a mess with phone cases strewn across the floor, overturned shelves and casings strewn with bullets that struck the owner, who remained hospitalized Friday night after surgery.

The owner’s brother sat behind the police box, wishing this could have been just a normal Friday night.

“We were supposed to go to dinner together – and I was saying ‘what time are you picking me up from home’ and he said ‘I’ve just been shot, you can go here,'” Gurpreet Singh said.

Gurpreet ran to the store, where he discovered the aftermath of his brother’s fight with two armed robbers. Police say the robbers wanted his watch, but the owner, Kunwarjee Singh, wouldn’t give up his Rolex without a fight.

“I’m pretty sure he’s a tough man himself. He might have given them a fight because I know my brother – he doesn’t give up on robbers that easily,” Gurpreet said.

Police say the thieves eventually stole the watch and shot the 40-year-old business owner just before 7pm on Friday. His brother says he was shot three times in the abdomen and legs.

The cell phone store on Steinway Street was broken into a few years ago, another business owner recalled.

“We talked about how we secure our businesses and he had a really good lock – the gate was down – they came with an electric wire cutter – this was serious production the last time they robbed him,” said Michelangelo Pinto.

However, so far he has never been violent.

No one is more worried than Gurpreet – it is impossible for him to feel safe.

“I’m really confused about all of this. I’m at a loss for words, but crime is up. We’re actually closing at 7, 7:15 these days. We’re actually locking the doors at every location because we don’t know what’s going to happen. come night,” says Gurpreet.

The two armed robbers are on the run and the victim underwent surgery to remove the bullets. He is in stable condition.

READ ALSO: Death mix-up leaves Staten Island family reeling on Halloween

———-
* More Queens news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or idea for a story we should cover? Submit it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If you attach a video or photo, terms of use apply.