Nassau County police are investigating Monday morning’s robbery of a New Hyde Park Subway shop as the 11th knifepoint holdup in a string of robberies spanning 16 miles and nearly two months.
The crime has “thrown a new twist into a very complex investigation” because it is the first the serial robber has perpetrated in the morning, Detective Lt. Richard LeBrun said at a news conference Tuesday.
“This subject is now priority No. 1 for the Nassau County Police Department,” said LeBrun, commading officer of the Public Information Office.
Police said the man, described as 6 feet tall, entered the shop at 1201 Jericho Turnpike at 9:48 a.m. Monday and approached employee Sneha Patel, who said she was alone in the store.
As in the other crimes, the man brandished a kitchen knife and told Patel to open the cash register and give him the money inside, Patel said.
The robber took $457 and fled north on North 12th Street, she said.
The thief was wearing a dark-hooded jacket, sunglasses, a dark cloth on his face, dark gloves, blue jeans and tan work boots, police said.
LeBrun said the knife the robber uses is between six and eight inches long.
Police dispatched a helicopter and patrol officers to the Subway after receiving a 911 call Monday morning.
They did not spot the robber, but a nearby surveillance camera on Jericho Turnpike got the clearest picture of him yet, LeBrun said.
The robber is described as a black man standing between 5-foot-8 and 6 feet tall, weighs 170 pounds and wears a dark-colored scarf or bandana over his face.
He first robbed a North New Hyde Park Dunkin’ Donuts on March 1 and has since hit 10 other businesses in Plainview, Oceanside, East Meadow, Old Bethpage, North Merrick, Massapequa Park, North Valley Stream and Hewlett, police said.
Except for Monday’s holdup, the crimes have occurred between 9 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. at Dunkin’ Donuts, Subway, Carvel and 7-Eleven stores, police said.
LeBrun said police are closely investigating why the robber struck in the morning this time.
The police department has invested a “significant amount of resources” into catching the man, LeBrun said. The robbery squad, Bureau of Special Operations and Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Team are aiding the Third Precinct squad and all patrol officers in the investigation, he said.
“We are very flexible, and we do have the resources to protect the public and to investigate this,” LeBrun said.
The suspect typically checks the inside and outside of the store to make sure only employees are present, he said.
The robber then enters the store, takes out the knife, demands money and runs from the scene on foot, LeBrun said.
While the robber has not hurt anyone, LeBrun said, “Anybody holding a six- to seven-inch knife is a dangerous individual.”
Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the man’s arrest.
Anyone with information about any of the crimes can call 1-800-244-8477 to leave an anonymous tip.
