Tag: robbery

Police & Fire
11/19/13 7:14am

Cops release images from September robbery

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11/19/2013 7:14 AM
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COURTESY SCPD

COURTESY SCPD

Suffolk County and Riverhead Police released visual images from an armed robbery which occurred on Route 58 in mid-September, asking the public’s help in finding the two men they say held up the store.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers are also offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest in the case, giving up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest.

According to police, two men entered the Hess station at the corner of Ostrander Avenue and Route 58 about 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 13, a Friday. The duo reportedly robbed an employee at gunpoint, fleeing the convenience store with $200 in cash and $100 in Newport cigarettes.

No injuries were reported at the time of the arrest, police told the News-Review in September.

The Route 58 Hess wasn’t just the only Hess in the area to fall victim to an armed robbery recently, but also one of over a half dozen gas stations targeted throughout Suffolk County by an alleged serial armed robber. At the end of October, a Hess on Edwards Avenue in Calverton was robbed; police arrested Manorville resident Paul Tromblee on Nov. 10 in relation to the robberies. He remains held on bail.

Anyone with information about the arrest is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

COURTESY SCPD

COURTESY SCPD

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Police & Fire
11/05/13 1:52pm

Calverton armed robbery tied to several others

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11/05/2013 1:52 PM
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COURTESY SCPD | Police say this man robbed a Calverton gas station.

COURTESY SCPD | Police say this man robbed a Calverton gas station.

Suffolk County Police said on Tuesday that they are investigating a recent gas station robbery in Calverton as one which was carried out as part of a larger pattern, and are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the man they say is responsible for all of them.

The Hess gas station on Edwards Avenue – barely in the jurisdiction of the SCPD – was robbed last Wednesday night, after a clerk said that a man pulled a handgun on him, demanding cash from the register about 7:45 p.m.

Police said that over the past two weeks, similar robberies have occurred at seven different establishments, at gas stations in Eastport, Mastic, North Babylon, St. James, Dix Hills and Bohemia, as well as Jamba Juice in Stony Brook. No one was injured during any of the robberies.

The suspect is described as a white male, about 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-2 with a tall to medium build. Police said he usually wears a dark-colored or gray hooded sweatshirt.

According to police, the man has frequently approached the clerk to purchase an item and when the cash register opened, pulled a gun and demanded cash.

Mohammed Kahn, the clerk at the Calverton Hess, told the News-Review last week that the robber walked straight up to the register and demanded cash, first giving him the impression that the act was a trick.

“I was looking to him like he was joking,” Mr. Kahn said at the time.

Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. Any information that leads to an arrest could result in a reward of up to $5,000.

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | This Hess station on Edwards Avenue was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night, authorities said. The robber remains at large.

PAUL SQUIRE PHOTO | The Hess station on Edwards Avenue that was robbed at gunpoint Wednesday night, police said. The robber remains at large.

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Police & Fire
10/28/13 4:40pm

Cops: Real-life Hamburglar busted in Riverside

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10/28/2013 4:40 PM
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JUAN MENDEZ-DEPAZ MUG SHOT

JUAN MENDEZ-DEPAZ MUG SHOT

A Flanders man is facing weapons and robbery charges after he allegedly walked up to a fast food restaurant drive-through window in Riverside early Sunday and threatened to shoot an employee if the worker didn’t give the man hamburgers and money, state police said.

The man was apprehended a few minutes later after a “brief struggle” with police, according to a police statement.

Police said 33-year-old Juan Mendez-DePaz walked up to the drive-through window at the McDonald’s on Flanders Road about 12:05 a.m. wearing a cowboy hat and a black vest.

Mr. Mendez-DePaz put his hand inside his vest and told the employee at the drive through window that he had two guns in his vest and threatened to shoot unless he was given hamburgers and cash, police said.

The employee immediately closed the window and called 911. State troopers and Southampton Town police got to the scene “within minutes” and found Mr. Mendez-DePaz in the parking lot based on his description. The robber allegedly showed police a “large knife” on his hip, and was apprehended after fighting with police.

He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon and felony robbery. He was held at Suffolk County jail pending arraignment.

psquire@timesreview.com

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Police & Fire
09/26/13 3:42pm

Prosecutor: CVS trio investigated in other pharmacy robberies

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09/26/2013 3:42 PM
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JOE PINCIARO PHOTOS | Ishawn Jackson, Jhmil Dawson and Lavon Dawson being escorted into town court Thursday.

JOE PINCIARO PHOTOS | Ishawn Jackson, Jhmil Dawson and Lavon Dawson being escorted into Town Justice Court on Thursday.

Three men arrested after an attempted robbery at the CVS pharmacy on Route 58 in Riverhead Wednesday are being investigated in connection with several pharmacy robberies throughout Suffolk County, prosecutors said.

During their arraignments Thursday in Riverhead Town Justice Court, county assistant district attorney Tisha Burrows said Jhmil Dawson, 26 of Coram, his younger brother, Lavon Dawson,17, of Riverhead, and Ishawn Jackson, 16, of Calverton, may have been involved in a “pattern of other robberies” that have occurred throughout the county since January.

One of those robberies includes the Jan. 14 robbery of the same Route 58 CVS, Ms. Burrows said.

Ms. Burrows also told the court that Lavon Dawson has confessed to the January robbery, in which he and two other men entered the CVS armed and wearing masks, taking off with over $8,000.

He also confessed to holding the handgun during Wednesday’s armed robbery, pointing it at a CVS employee and forcing the employee to the floor in an attempt to steal money and cigarettes, she said.

Defense attorney Anthony Rutkowski said the handgun recovered by police was a BB gun.

Lavon Dawson, who has no criminal record according to the assistant district attorney, was charged with first-degree attempted robbery as well as first-degree robbery – both felonies – following his confession.

Ms. Burrows requested $200,000 cash bail, however Justice Allen Smith set it at $100,000.

Both Jhmil Dawson and Ishawn Jackson are also facing first-degree attempted robbery charges, with Jhmil Dawson also being charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, also a felony.

Hours after the Wednesday morning incident at CVS, the men were spotted by a farm worker in fields at nearby Anderson Farms and apprehended shortly after, police had said.

Jhmil Dawson is being held without bail, due to a past criminal history, Mr. Smith said during court.

Mr. Dawson has two prior felony convictions, including an attempted robbery conviction for which he served time in jail, Mr. Burrows said.

Ishawn Jackson, 16 and still in the Riverhead school system, is being held on $100,000 bail

Family members for all three men were present in court.

Before her son’s court appearance, Lakisha Jackson said her “heart is broken.

“He is so good with his sisters; he’s just a follower,” Ms. Jackson said. “I love him.”

Jhmil Dawson currently lives with his mother in Coram, his father, Andre Lee, said.

“He just turned the wrong way.” Mr. Dawson said, explaining that his son had recently moved back to Coram from Virginia, where he had graduated high school. “May God bless him.”

A Suffolk County grand jury is taking up the case, and all three suspects are due back in town court Monday.

cmiller@timesreview.com

Correction: Ishawn Jackson is being held on $100,000 bail. We previously reported $200,000.

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Police & Fire
09/25/13 8:55pm

Update: Police release names of three suspects charged in CVS robbery

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09/25/2013 8:55 PM
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UPDATE: Riverhead police have named the three men arrested Wednesday in connection with an early morning robbery at the CVS Pharmacy on Route 58 in Riverhead.

Police said Jhmil Dawson, 26, of Coram first entered the store around 7 a.m. to count the number of people inside. Moments later he returned to the store with another man and they were armed with a pistol, police said.

Two employees inside the store were able to flee after being approached by one of the suspects, and one of the employees set off the store alarm, police said.

Ishawn Jackson, 16, of Calverton and Lavon Dawson, 17, of Riverhead were also arrested in connection with the robbery. All three suspects were charged with first-degree attempted robbery. The elder Dawson was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.

All three suspects are being held overnight and will be arraigned Thursday morning.

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 ORIGINAL STORY (9:19 a.m.)

Two suspects are in custody at Riverhead police headquarters in relation to this morning’s reported armed robbery at CVS, according to police.

The duo – whose names were not released by police yet – are set to be arraigned at Riverhead Town Justice Court.

According to Officer Rich Oliver, the two were spotted by a farm worker in the fields at Anderson Farms, and one of the two men had a warrant out for his arrest.

Oliver said one of the suspects was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt, and the other a green bandana.

The same CVS was robbed in mid-January after police said at the time that two men entered the store around 3:30 a.m. and forced an employee to open a safe at gunpoint. Police have not reported any arrests in relation to the robbery.

Police were called shortly after 7 a.m. on Wednesday to the pharmacy after someone reportedly brandished a gun in the store, and ended up fleeing north on foot.

GRANT PARPAN PHOTO | Riverhead Police are investigating a robbery at CVS on Route 58.

GRANT PARPAN PHOTO | Riverhead Police are investigating a robbery at CVS on Route 58.

No injuries were reported in the incident, though employees were seen outside not long after the robbery, hugging one another and wiping tears from one another’s eyes.

Mr. Oliver said two suspects had been spotted by eyewitnesses fleeing north from the scene of the crime, toward TJ Maxx, one of whom was reportedly wearing a green bandana.

Detectives on scene would not say how many people exactly were involved in the robbery.

“We’re not sure,” Det. Sgt. Joe Loggia said. “We have some good leads.”

Several police cars responded to Wednesday’s crime, and by 9:45 a.m. a police barrier at the store had been lifted.

With reporting from Grant Parpan.

jpinciaro@timesreview.com

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Police & Fire
09/25/13 9:00am

Little League shed burglarized again

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shed1For the second time in less than five months, someone has broken into the Riverhead Little League shed in Stotzky Park and stolen from the organization.

Police received a call at 8:05 a.m. today after a buildings and grounds employee stumbled upon the damage, which included busting through the door to the little league’s concession stand.

But after the shed was broken into in April, and thieves made off with over $800 in cash and equipment, they weren’t quite as lucky this time. League President Tony Sammartano said since then, they’ve kept much less cash on hand in the register – which the burglars reportedly walked away with.

“We left some change in the drawers and a couple singles,” he said this morning. “Maybe they got away with $40.”

Police were on scene this morning and Sammartano said a crime unit is expected to head over sometime before noon. Though police are currently tied up searching for a couple who reportedly robbed the CVS on Route 58 this morning. In addition, a criminal mischief was reported at an EPCAL business.

Sammartano said whoever broke into the shed walked out with some Starburst and soda, as well as the register itself.

Money raised at the concession stand pays for the league’s umpires.

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Police & Fire
07/30/13 8:00am

Cops: Man caught stealing $1,500 in cash

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07/30/2013 8:00 AM
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SouthamptonPD HQ4 - 500

A robber who stole more than $1,500 from a Flanders man on his own doorstep last week didn’t make it far after driving off, as the suspect was later found just a few hundred feet away from the scene, Southampton Town police said.

The victim was pulling out a wad of cash to give to a friend outside his Flanders Road house about 3:20 p.m. when another man who had arrived with that friend yanked the cash from the victim’s hand, ran into a vehicle and “took off,” according to a police report.

According to the report, seven $100 bills, two or three $50 bills and several $20 bills were stolen.

The stolen cash was worth between $1,500 and $1,800, police said.

Police tracked the vehicle used in the alleged robbery by its license plate number, and found the vehicle just a few houses away on Flanders Road, where the robber was caught.

Police said the stolen money was recovered, but, in the end, the victim refused to press charges against the man.

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Police & Fire
05/21/13 2:15pm

Update: Man held on $300K bail after botched robbery

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05/21/2013 2:15 PM
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CARRIE MILLER PHOTO | Police investigate an armed robbery scene in Polish Town Monday night.

UPDATE (2:15 p.m.): The 33-year-old Riverhead man who allegedly attempted to rob an Osborn Avenue store Monday night faced a judge this afternoon, answering to two felony charges.

Nicholas Savino is charged with two counts of second-degree robbery after displaying what appeared to be a handgun at International Connection and demanding money about 8:45 p.m., police said.

Mr. Savino hit a store worker several times in the head, causing lacerations to the man’s face, prosecutors said during his arraignment in Riverhead Town court.

The worker was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries, according to a release.

Two other workers subdued Mr. Savino until police arrived, prosecutors said in court. Visible cuts could be seen around Mr. Savino’s neck and face while in court this afternoon.

Justice Richard Ehlers granted an order of protection for the store workers involved in the incident.

Procesuters said Mr. Savino has been convicted of one felony and eight misdemeanors prior to the incident.

He also failed to appear in court on four separate occasions, prosecutors said.

Mr. Savino is being held on $300,000 bail.

Original Story: Less than 30 minutes after a shooting sent a Polish Town woman to a hospital Monday night, three employees at a store on nearby Osborn Avenue wrestled an armed robber to the ground in an unrelated incident.

Nicholas Savino, 33, of Riverhead displayed a handgun as he entered International Connection and demanded money of three employees there at about 8:45 p.m., police said. The three men quickly fought him off and held him down until police could arrive.

It was later learned the gun Mr. Savino used in the robbery was actually a BB pistol, police said.

Mr. Savino and one of the employees were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries from the scuffle, police said.

A worker at the store, who did not give a name Monday night, said, “I’m just happy everyone is safe and we could all go home with our lives tonight.”

Mr. Savino is being held at police headquarters on two counts of second-degree robbery, police said. He is expected to be arraigned later Tuesday morning. He was previously arrested last February on a warrant related to a charge of petit larceny.

gparpan@timesreview.com

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