Corner Store Crime Spree From Gun-Toting Stick-Up Crew

Police are looking for two suspects in a pattern of gunpoint robberies throughout Brownsville, East New York and Bushwick that occurred in the first week of the new year.

On Wednesday, January 3, the duo entered the Santa Grocery at 137 Blake Avenue in Brownsville around 8:30 pm, said police. One of the robbers pulled a gun and demanded money, before fleeing the scene down Herzel Street with about $1000 in cash.

On Thursday, January 4, the two stick-up artists managed to hit three locations across two neighborhoods in one night.

First, they crossed into East New York, robbing Omars Mini Market and Deli at 479 Livonia Avenue between 7:00 and 8:00 pm, said police. They brandished their gun and demanded the money, fleeing the scene with $200. But they weren’t done there.

Around 10:30 that night, the two surfaced in Bushwick, at the Steve M. Grocery at 423 Stanhope Street. Despite showing their gun and demanding money, the suspects were stymied, leaving the scene with no proceeds, said police.

Then, at 11:15, they made one last stop for the night, again in Bushwick, at the Garden Deli and Grill, 185 Starr Street, said police. There, they went through the same routine, this time lighting off down Irving Street after the job was done, carry an undetermined amount of cash.

Finally, on Saturday, January 6, the two struck one last time, back where it all started: the Santa Grocery in Brownsville. But they didn’t get lucky twice—despite the familiar routine of gun, demand, and cash, this time they fled the scene without any loot at all.

The suspects were last seen fleeing up Herzl Street, northbound in a blue taxi, said police.

Surveillance footage from the crime spree can be seen below—one robber points the gun and demands the money, while his partner in crime makes sure to steal a 2-liter bottle of soda:

Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).  The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.