Suffolk County Carvel Robbery The Latest In Recent String Of Sweet Shop Holdups

RONKONKOMA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police in Suffolk County are searching for a suspect who robbed a Carvel ice cream store Saturday night in what is now the fourth Carvel targeted on Long Island in a matter of months.

Police with search dogs surrounded the shop on Ronkonkoma Avenue near 9th Street after they responded to reports of a robbery, the fourth of its kind since February.

"It's easy money, it's usually young kids or girls working in the stores," one man told CBS2's Ali Bauman.

Meanwhile, authorities in Nassau County are still searching for an armed thief caught on surveillance video robbing stores at machete and knife point. He's suspected of robbing three Carvel shops and one Dunkin Donuts in just over a month, stealing cash before taking off.

Andrew Liu's Carvel was one of the masked bandit's targets.

"I kind of suspected something might happen," he said shortly after the robbery at his store last month. "I was hoping it wouldn't."

Nobody was hurt in the Nassau robberies. With the culprit still on the loose, authorities are warning shop clerks to be vigilant.

"We always ask for the victim to comply and make sure the person leaves as soon as possible and call the police," Nassau County Police Det. Lt. Richard LeBrun said in a March press conference.

Authorities have not said how much money was taken from the most recent holdup, which remains under investigation.