Charged With Three Store Stickups
Two Queens residents have been charged with participating in the robberies of two gas stations and a deli- and then leading police on a dangerous car chase last Wednesday, Apr. 3, to avoid being arrested, it was reported.
The suspects were identified by Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown as Ravinder Dharamshot, 32, of Lyman Street in Queens Village and Umair Farooq, 23, of 214th Street in Oakland Gardens. They were charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree criminal use of a firearm, second-degree robbery and possessing an imitation pistol. Dharamshot is additionally charged with first-degree reckless endangerment.
Both suspects each face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
“The defendants are accused of a taking part in a brazen crime spree by which they robbed gas station and deli employees at gunpoint,” Brown said in a statement. “Days after the robberies-when spotted by police- one of the defendants allegedly drove recklessly through the streets trying to evade capture. The defendants’ alleged actions put multiple people at risk of injury or death and can not be tolerated.”
According to the charges, Dharamshot and Farooq robbed a Gulf gas station located at 241-15 Hillside Ave. in Bellerose at approximately 5:40 a.m., on Mar. 16 and took approximately $800. They also allegedly robbed an Exxon gas station located at 137-21 Liberty Ave. in Richmond Hill at approximately 4 a.m., on Mar. 19 and took $500.
Finally, they are accused of robbing a deli, the Braddock Super Bazaar, located at 237-08 Braddock Ave. in Bellerose, at approximately 3:20 a.m., on Mar. 23 and taking $200.
The defendants allegedly used an imitation pistol during each of the robberies and fled in a blue Mercury Villager minivan.
According to the charges, last Wednesday morning between approximately 5:07 a.m. and 5:37 a.m., at the intersection of Utopia Parkway and Cross Island Parkway, a police officer saw Dharamshot operating a blue Mercury Villager minivan which matched the description of a vehicle used in multiple robberies.
Dharamshot then allegedly began driving at a high rate of speed, pulled into a driveway and exited his vehicle. When the police officer exited his vehicle to approach the defendant he allegedly jumped back into the minivan, put the car in reverse and nearly struck two police cars.
Finally, Dharamshot is accused of then driving through the streets through several stop signs and red lights, driving onto the Clearview Expressway in the opposite direction of traffic, causing other vehicles to swerve out of the way to avoid being struck by the defendant’s vehicle.
It is alleged that the defendant then exited the Clearview Expressway and drove up onto a sidewalk for an entire block, almost striking pedestrians, before finally crashing into a police car at Colden Street and Elder Avenue, causing injuries to two police officers.
Farooq, who was allegedly a passenger in the minivan, was apprehended shortly after the crash. Dharamshot allegedly fled the scene and was arrested later that day.
The investigation was conducted by the NYPD Queens Robbery Squad.
Assistant District Attorney Rachel B. Drucker of the District Attorney’s Narcotics Trials Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Karen H. Rankin, bureau chief, Robert J. Ferino and Barry S. Weinrib, deputy bureau chiefs, and the overall supervision of Senior Executive Assistant District Attorney of the Trial Division James C. Quinn and Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Charles A. Testagrossa and Deputy Executive Assistant District Attorney Daniel A. Saunders.
It was noted that criminal charges are merely accusations and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
