North Merrick Subway Shop Employee Says Husband Raised Hot Plate To Scare Off Robber

NORTH MERRICK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The number of businesses targeted by a knifepoint robber on Long Island now totals 14, after two more incidents over the weekend.

As WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported, the sign to a Subway sandwich shop in North Merrick said, "Open," Monday, but the shop was locked. An employee told Hall she was by herself and was letting customers in one at a time – after her husband was confronted by the serial robber.

The robber has been threatening people either with a knife or a machete, but in this case, the robber felt threatened and left. The woman said her husband picked up a hot plate and it scared the robber in the Saturday incident.

When the thief struck out at the Subway, police said he came to Lynbrook and held up a TCBY around 9 p.m.

"The one girl that was here, she said she was fine, but there was another girl who doesn't usually work and she was sort of shook," one TCBY employee told WCBS 880's Sophia Hall.

The suspect was described as a man between 5 feet 5 and 7 inches tall with an average build, wearing a dark hat with a brim, dark jacket, blue jeans, dark scarf covering his face and gloves.

The crime spree began in February, when the knife-wielding man robbed a Carvel in Copiague.

Detectives ask anyone with information about the robberies to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.