Tampa, Florida -- Tampa cops call it brazen; around 2 a.m. surveillance cameras capture a shady character casing the lobby of the Howard Johnson Motel on 50th Street, but the front doors are locked.

The desolate back hallway is where the two masked men make their entry, prying open two doors and running to the lobby. One jumps the counter, rushes into the back office, and stuffs a gun in the face of the female clerk, demanding she cough up the cash.

"They were in there for about a minute holding her at gunpoint.  It's very frightening. It's kinda a hold your breath type of video," says Tampa Police Sgt. Michael Stout.

Within just 60 seconds, the suspects clean out the register and the back office, even taking the clerk's cell phone before leaving the same way they came in.

Guests at the hotel say they were startled by the sound of sirens, and seeing cops blanket the property on foot. "There was a cop at the back door by the pool and I asked him if it was safe," says motel guest Louis Ebbecke.

The regular clerk was not on duty, but says she was there when the motel was robbed back in 2010, and again in 2011.

The multiple lobby cameras captured every move the suspects made as they robbed the place, but the suspects didn't realize the cameras were rolling as they stood outside the front doors.  They neglected to cover their faces, and are clearly visible. Cops say this was their tragic error.

"We wanna get this out there before anyone else is injured."