From gas stations to fast food joints, this alleged crook robbed them all — including one gas station twice in the same day and stores down the block from each other in only minutes, police reported.
Police announced on Friday that they had apprehended August Watkins, 30, in connection with the April 3 robbery of the Subway restaurant located at 25-34 Jackson Ave. He was located at his residence on 48th Street in Woodside.
Additional charges are pending the results of the ongoing investigation into a robbery pattern in which 13 other businesses were held up at gunpoint in an area stretching from Long Island City to Ozone Park, as well as two related heists in northern Brooklyn.
In each instance, authorities said, the gunman allegedly entered the establishment and simulated having a gun in his possession. He then proceeded to remove all the cash from the register before fleeing in an unknown direction.
Police said there were no injuries reported in any of the incidents.
The most recent stickup took place on Tuesday night, April 5, when the bandit struck the Subway restaurant at 43-19 Queens Blvd. in Sunnyside.
Authorities said the armed suspect allegedly struck the same Middle Village gas station — the BP at 60-90 Eliot Ave. — twice on March 28, hitting it first at 1:58 a.m. and then returning for a refill at 1:25 p.m.
The other locations connected to the robbery pattern are as follows:
- the N&K Smart Mart at 79-23 Northern Blvd. in Jackson Heights at 6:40 a.m. on March 26;
- the Stephen Deli at 61-25 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park at 1:40 a.m. on March 29;
- the 7-Eleven convenience store at 65-07 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park at 1:57 a.m. on March 29;
- the Ozone Convenience Store at 137-20 Cross Bay Blvd. in Ozone Park at 2:25 p.m. on March 30;
- the Mobil gas station at 68-09 Queens Blvd. in Woodside at 3:40 a.m. on March 31;
- the Subway restaurant at 102-06 Atlantic Ave. in Ozone Park at 8 a.m. on March 31;
- the Rite Aid pharmacy at 58-01 Queens Blvd. in Woodside at 6:05 a.m. on April 1;
- the 24 Food Mart at 110-35 Horace Harding Expressway in Corona at 12:35 p.m. on April 1;
- the 99 Cent Paradise store at 42-06 Greenpoint Ave. in Sunnyside at 1:25 p.m. on April 2; and
- the Choice Liquors store at 43-42 48th St. in Sunnyside at 1:32 p.m. on April 2.
The suspect allegedly also robbed a Dunkin Donuts in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on March 31 and a Williamsburg, Brooklyn, cigar shop on April 3.
