Police are looking for the armed robber who looted three smoke shops in New York City.
The first heist came in the Bronx on Sept. 24, when the suspect walked into a storefront at 3007 Third Ave. just before noon, and told an employee that he had a gun. The victim quickly fled and hid in the bathroom, while the suspect grabbed around $200 from the cash register and ran off.
On Nov. 13, the same suspect entered a Manhattan smoke shop near 974 Amsterdam Ave. just after 1 a.m, before brandishing a wrench and demanding money from a 26-year-old employee. As the situation escalated, the suspect hit the worker’s hand with the metal tool, before grabbing $500 from the register and fleeing.
Five days later, the suspect struck at another Bronx smoke shop on Nov. 18. According to police, the man entered the storefront near 3645 Bruckner Boulevard at around 1 p.m, before threatening to shoot a 20-year-old employee unless they handed over money from the cash register. The suspect pocketed $200, and fled southbound on Bruckner Boulevard.
No arrests have yet been made, and the investigation remains ongoing, according to police.
Cops described the suspect as a male with a medium skin complexion, average build and black hair.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website, on Twitter @NYPDTips.
