By Karen Frantz
A Long Island City man who allegedly went on a carjacking and robbery spree in the borough last week is being held without bail and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, the district attorney’s office said.
The weapon he was carrying and allegedly used to steal several cars and some cash turned out to be a BB gun, DA Richard Brown said.
“The defendant is accused of terrifying the Long Island City community by walking up to vehicles and pedestrians and demanding their property while pointing a weapon at them,” Brown said. “Fortunately, the gun turned out to be a BB gun and nobody was physically injured. However, that does not negate the fear that he instilled in them or the fact that the defendant now faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence.”
Nicolas Almonte, 27, was arraigned on several counts of robbery, one count of attempted robbery and one count of unlawful imprisonment Saturday. He faces 25 years in prison if convicted.
The suspect is accused of stealing three cars and attempting to steal several others within the course of an hour last Thursday, police said.
The first incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. only a few blocks away from where Almonte lives, at 25-20 Borden Ave., when he allegedly went up to a 22-year-old woman driving a black Mercedes-Benz and waved the gun, Brown said. He then allegedly jumped into car and said, “Drive or I will kill you,” according to the DA.
He then allegedly made the woman drive into Manhattan and back into Queens, repeatedly ordering her to get money, and threw her cellphone out the window, Brown said. He then jumped out of the car at a red light, the DA said.
Then around 10 a.m. Almonte was accused of forcing his way into a white van and ordering the driver to get out and leave his cellphone behind, Brown said. The victim allegedly then saw Almonte grab the cellphone and jump out of the van, heading for a gray Lexus, the DA said.
Almonte then allegedly banged on the window of the Lexus, yelling at the driver, “Get out of the car or I’ll blow your [expletive] head off,” and then drove off with the car as soon as the victim got out, according to the DA.
Then just 15 minutes later, Almonte was accused of going up to a woman walking her dog, putting the gun to her neck and rummaging through her pockets before running away, and moments later stealing a gold Mercedes from a 61-year-old man who was just about to get into the car, the DA said.
Finally, at 10:20 a.m., less than an hour after the spree started, Almonte allegedly ran up to a vehicle at Hunterspoint Avenue and 38th Street and took about $50 from the driver before dashing off.
Several of the victims said their attacker was wearing a fluorescent orange construction vest, Brown said.
Police said Almonte was arrested at 5:45 p.m. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and the last car he allegedly stole, the gold Mercedes, was recovered nearby. Brown also said Almonte was wearing a fluorescent orange construction vest when he was arrested and that police found him with a black BB gun.
A man who declined to give his name said he worked with Almonte at Swing Staging, a scaffolding company, and said he heard he had been on medication and that up until a week ago he seemed to be doing fine.
But he said that over the last few days some people said Almonte had been acting strangely and had been having problems with his girlfriend.
“I heard they were having constant arguments,” he said.
A woman who answered the phone at Swing Staging said the company had no comment.
Reach reporter Karen Frantz by e-mail at kfrantz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4548.
