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Landlord Accused Of Threatening Prospective Tenant With Screw Gun

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A landlord faces charges after he allegedly threatened a prospective tenant with a screw gun and tried to rob her.

Police said the 31-year-old woman arrived at an apartment complex on Nassau Road expecting to rent a second-floor unit. However, Arnold Padgett, 56, told her the apartment was not ready, but that she could see the extra storage in the basement, WCBS' Sophia Hall reported.

That's when Padgett grabbing the woman and threatened her with a screw gun, police said.

He allegedly demanded that she pay him $800 and hand over her cellphone and bank card. 

When they both went back upstairs, she was able to run away and call the 9-1-1 from a nearby body shop, police said.

A man whose elderly mother lives in the complex told Hall that he was shocked to learn about the incident.

"He's a good person," she said. "That's weird for me to hear this because I've known him for a long time and he's a good person."

Padgett faces robbery and a weapon charge.

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