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Police: Suspect Arrested In String Of Robberies, Slashing On Subway

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police said they have arrested a suspect in connection with at least two recent subway attacks and a robbery at a bodega.

Che Quenten Irving, 20, faces robbery charges in the three incidents in the last week, police said. News of his arrest came after police released a surveillance photo of a man with distinctly red hair.

Police said Irving held a 22-year-old man up at knifepoint last Sunday on an uptown C train near West 155th Street around 8:30 p.m. When the victim refused to hand over his cell phone, the suspect slashed him on the hand and took off, police said.

The victim exited the train at the West 155th Street subway stop and was taken to an area hospital for stitches.

On Wednesday, police said he stole two bags of chips from the Spring Iconic Sweet Shop on Spring Street in Manhattan. When confronted by an employee, officials said a struggle ensued and the employee fell to the ground.

The 39-year-old employee sustained leg pain and a small cut to his finger, police said. The suspect fled westbound on Spring Street with the chips, police said.

He allegedly struck again later that same day. Police said he grabbed an iPad from a 28-year-old woman while on a northbound C train just before 8 p.m. Wednesday.

New York City has seen a recent uptick in crime in the subway system.

Authorities said a man was slashed early Saturday morning after getting into a dispute with two men in a stairwell at a No. 2 and 5 train station in the Bronx. Those suspects remain on the loose.

Police said they are also still investigating another incident that happened on Tuesday morning.

A 37-year-old man was asleep on an uptown 4 train when he felt a tug on his pants. He woke up and saw a man standing over him with a razor in hand and noticed that his left pocket had been cut.

The victim tried to restrain the suspect, but was punched in the face, police said. The suspect then fled the train at the 51st Street subway station.

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton deployed more patrols to the subways, but also asked New Yorkers to stop sleeping while riding trains.

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