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Mother, Son, Daughter Arrested In Connection To String Of Suffolk County Knifepoint Robberies

CORAM, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A four-week robbery spree on Long Island was a family affair, police alleged Sunday.

As CBS2's Jessica Borg reported, police in Suffolk County have arrested a Mastic Beach woman and her two adult children in connection to a string of knifepoint robberies that have terrorized local businesses in the last month.

Deborah Salvatore, 55; her daughter, Lauren Mascia, 31; and her son, Rick Mascia, 25, were arrested in the string of robberies, police said. Detectives said they had been hot on their trail and caught them Saturday night after a Dunkin' Donuts in Coram was held up.

Long Island Business Robbery Suspects
(l-r) Deborah Salvatore, 55; and her daughter, Lauren Mascia, 31, and son, Rick Mascia, 25, are charged in a robbery spree targeting businesses on Long Island. (Credit: Suffolk County Police)

"I can't believe that actually happened," said Dunkin' Donuts cashier Catherine Martinez. "It felt like a movie."

Martinez said she was robbed close to closing time at the Dunkin' Donuts on Middle Country Road Saturday evening. Rick Mascia allegedly ordered some doughnuts and then whipped out a knife, demanding all the money in the register.

READ: Woman Sought In Suffolk County Knifepoint Robberies Strikes Again

"He didn't seem like he was going to use it, but it was still kind of threatening, and I was like, 'Oh my God, this is really happening,'" Martinez said.

The cashier opened the register before escaping to the rear of the store, according to police.

Mascia grabbed the cash from the register and ran outside, where his was waiting for him in a car, police said.

READ: Woman Sought In 5 Knifepoint Robberies In Suffolk County

Suffolk detectives rushed to the scene and arrested Mascia and Salvatore. Lauren Mascia was also arrested after further investigation.

The trio is accused in the following robberies:

  • Family Dollar, located at 349 Horseblock Road in Farmingville, on September 23 at 9:50 p.m.
  • Family Dollar, located at 222 Portion Road in Lake Ronkonkoma, on September 29 at approximately 10 p.m.
  • Carvel, located at 400 Horseblock Road in Farmingville, on October 13 at 9:55 p.m.
  • Carvel, located at 400 Horseblock Road in Farmingville, on October 14 at approximately 10 p.m.
  • Dunkin Donuts, located at 500-11 Medford Ave. in Patchogue, on October 16 at 10:33 p.m.
  • Dollar Tree, located at 3235 Horseblock Road in Medford, on October 17 at 9:43 p.m.
  • Dunkin Donuts, located at 350 Middle Country Road in Coram, on October 21 at approximately 9:45 p.m.

Police said Lauren Mascia was behind six of the seven robberies. She always wore a wig and excessive makeup for disguise, and she would pretend to purchase an item, police said.

Police said once she got to the cashier, she would take out a pocket-size knife and demand cash.

"This is like shocking to me," said Christina Borgese, who lives across the street from Lauren Mascia in Mastic Beach.

Halloween decorations cover Lauren Mascia's front yard. Borgese said Mascia is an attentivemotherto her daughter, who is in kindergarten.

"Beautiful relationship," Borgese said. "She's out there teaching her daughter how to ride. She walks her to the bus."

Police say Mascia's brother was the getaway driver in all the robberies – except the one on Saturday, when their mom was behind the wheel.

Desperation for drug money was their alleged motivation.

"It appears that they are addicted to crack-cocaine, as opposed to what we typically see these days, which is heroin," said Suffolk County police Commissioner Timothy Sini.

In May, Suffolk County police arrested a man who they said was responsible for a series of 18 chain store robberies.

Police say the recent string of robberies isn't connected to those incidents.

The suspects face multiple charges of first degree robbery, and pleaded not guilty before a judge in Suffolk County First District Court on Sunday.

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