One busy bandit can’t seem to satisfy his hunger for cash.
The knife-wielding crook connected to five recent holdups of eateries across Queens in recent weeks hit two additional locations this weekend, police said.
The perpetrator held up the Subway restaurant located at 64-29 108th St. in Forest Hills at 8:55 p.m. on Friday, June 3. According to authorities, the crook — described as a black male standing 5 foot 9 inches tall with a medium build — was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, dark jeans and boots when he walked into the restaurant, displayed a knife to a 20-year-old male employee and demanded cash from the register.
Police said the employee complied with the request and handed over $300 in cash from the register to the suspect, who then fled in an unknown direction.
Less than 48 hours later, authorities said, the bandit came calling to the Subway restaurant located at 61-13 Springfield Blvd. in Bayside at 4:05 p.m. on Sunday, June 5.
The bandit — this time wearing sunglasses along with a black hooded sweatshirt, dark-colored jeans and boots — confronted a 50-year-old male employee, displayed a knife and demanded cash from the register. After the employee provided him with $500 in cash, the crook fled in an unknown direction.
Officers from the 112th Precinct responded to the Forest Hills holdup, while the 111th Precinct responded to the Bayside robbery. There were no injuries in either case.
Police said the busy bandit is responsible for four similar robberies across Queens dating back to last month, including the May 11 holdup at a Carvel ice cream store in Forest Hills; the May 23 caper at a Dunkin’ Donuts shop in Flushing; the May 25 robbery of a Dunkin’ Donuts in Howard Beach; and the June 1 heist at a Subway restaurant in Bayside.
The NYPD released photos and a video of the June 5 robbery (see below) on Monday morning.
According to published reports, authorities are also investigating a possible connection between the suspect and a pattern of similar holdups in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
Anyone with information regarding the robbery pattern or the suspect’s whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS, visit their website or send a text message to 274637 (CRIMES), then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
