A man who attempted to rob and burn down a Western Union in Woodside is also wanted in connection to multiple robberies in Queens.
Police are asking for the public’s help in tracking down the suspect who was caught on tape stealing cash and threatening customers in two separate business establishments.
On Monday, March 25 at 11:30 a.m., an unidentified man entered a Metro PCS store located at 88-13 37th Ave. in Jackson Heights. Police from the 115th Precinct reported that the suspect allegedly displayed a knife and demanded cash from the 30-year-old woman working at the store.
The thief then took $210 from the register and $200 from the woman’s purse before fleeing westbound on 37th Avenue. Cops said that the woman was not injured following the incident.
Later that evening around 9:20 p.m., police reported that the man targeted a Subway restaurant, at 43-43 91st Place in Elmhurst. The suspect allegedly passed a note to a 44-year-old employee, which indicated he had a bomb and a gun. The man demanded money from the employee, who gave the suspect $215 from the cash register.
He then fled eastbound on Corona Avenue. The employee was not injured as a result of the robbery.
Three days prior on Friday, March 22, at about 7:45 p.m., officers from the 108th Precinct learned, the same man entered the Western Union office at 60-16 Roosevelt Ave. Once inside, the suspect allegedly approached the security window, poured an unknown substance on the counter and placed a lighter next to it.
The man then reportedly told the 24-year-old woman at the security window that he would set the place on fire and demanded that she give him money. When the woman walked away from the window, the suspect poured liquid on the door next to the security window and fled the location on foot.
The incident was later reported to the 108th Precinct.
Cops describe the suspect as a Hispanic male between 5 feet, 1 inch and 5 feet, 4 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a black and red baseball cap, a black hooded sweater with a white stripe on its left arm, a blue vest, black pants and brown boots.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
