Long Island Store Worker Thwarts Robbery, Locks Suspect In Pawn Shop
BRENTWOOD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) – Police say a robbery on Long Island started out as planned, but a fast-acting employee quickly turned the tables on the robber.
Now the search is on for the man and his get-away driver after their robbery gone wrong.
In an incident that was caught on camera, the armed robber tried to smash his way through the locked front door of a pawn shop in Brentwood Thursday afternoon.
The alleged crook was desperate to get out after a clerk pushed an emergency lock button to stop him from getting away.
"I locked the door because I called police," Jose Hernandez told CBS2's Natalie Duddridge.
Staff at E-Z Cash Pawn Shop say around 3:30 p.m. a man wearing a hood and motorcycle gear burst into the store pointing a gun. He reportedly went straight for one of the jewelry cases.
"I am scared because I saw the guy. He had a gun, a gun in his hand," Dayanna Perea said.
The thief jumped over the counter and grabbed whatever he could, shoving around $10,000 worth of gold chains into a bag and made for the door.
"He tried breaking this glass then he try and left and he stopped then he tried to go out, but he couldn't go out because the door was locked," Perea added.
Staff hoped police would arrive while they and some customers ducked and hid, but eventually the burglar broke through the glass door. He left the jewelry and a helmet behind and climbed out of the store.
A second person, believed to be a get-away driver, was waiting for him on a motorcycle. The two got away empty handed.
Staff here say even though the glass has now been fixed and the store has returned to normal, they're scared to come to work until the suspects have been caught.
Local police have reportedly stepped up patrols in the area until the would-be thieves are caught.
