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Police Looking For Armed Bandit Who Robbed Two Local Stores, Attempted to Rob Another

Suspect During Woodside Attempted Robbery (NYPD)

March 26, 2019 By Christian Murray

The police are searching for an armed robber who held up a store in Jackson Heights and another in Elmhurst on Monday, just days after a botched attempt to rob a check-cashing store in Woodside.

The suspect went into a Metro PCS store at 88-13 37^th Ave. at around 11:30 a.m. Monday, displayed a knife and demanded cash from a 30-year-old female employee, according to police. The thief then took $210 from the cash register and $200 from the employee’s purse before fleeing westbound on 37^th Avenue.

That evening, at around 9:20 p.m., the suspect entered into a Subway restaurant at 43-43 91^st St. and passed a note to a 44-year-old employee indicating that he had a bomb and a gun. He demanded cash and the employee handed over $215 cash from the register, before the suspect fled eastbound on Corona Avenue.

Just days prior, at around 7:45 p.m. on Friday, the suspect went inside a Western Union, at 60-16 Roosevelt Ave., approached the security window and poured an unknown substance on the counter and placed a lighter next to it.

The suspect told the 24-year-old female employee that he would set the place on fire and demanded money. When the employee walked away, the suspect poured liquid on the door next to the security window and then fled the location emptyhanded on foot westbound on Roosevelt Avenue.

None of victims were injured during the crime spree, according to police.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, between 5 feet 1 and 5 feet 4 inches tall, and was last seen wearing a black and red baseball cap, a black hooded sweater with a white stripe on its left arm, a blue vest, black pants and brown boots.

Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-8477, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.