Suspect takes a tumble as armed duo robs elderly worker at NYC store: cops

[The Bobster]

Suspect takes a tumble as armed duo robs elderly worker at NYC store: cops

The two crooks showed up at the store at Canal and Mercer streets around 7:30 a.m. Friday – with at least one of them wearing a FedEx shirt – and claimed they had a package to get inside, authoriti…

nypost.com

Suspect takes a tumble as armed duo robs elderly worker at NYC store: cops​

By
Kyle Schnitzer,
Jorge Fitz-Gibbon and
Amanda Woods


April 24, 2023 9:25am
Updated










A pair of thieves posing as FedEx delivery men robbed and pistol-whipped an elderly worker at a Soho electronics store – and the victim’s family told The Post on Monday the harrowing attack is part of a disturbing trend in the posh neighborhood.
The two crooks showed up at the store at Canal and Mercer streets around 7:30 a.m. Friday – with at least one of them wearing a FedEx shirt – and claimed they had a package to get inside, authorities said.

One of the suspects pistol-whipped the elderly store worker, cops said.NYPD The other suspect took a tumble inside the store, video shows.NYPD
One of them held a gun as he pushed the 73-year-old victim toward the back of the store, according to surveillance footage released by the NYPD Sunday night.


His accomplice followed, but tripped over a bag and hit the floor before quickly getting back on his feet, according to the video.


The gunman held onto the victim’s jacket and struck him with the weapon before the other suspect ripped off $1,500 from his wallet, according to cops and the footage.

The pair made off with $1,500 from the victim’s wallet. NYPD
The victim’s son, Jeffrey Kwon, told The Post Monday that the brutes even tried to drag his 72-year-old mom into the shop.


“I’m just glad that they’re alive,” said Kwon, 46, of his parents. “I just can’t imagine them being killed over this stuff. One of the guys did threaten them, saying, ‘I’m going to kill you — I’m going to kill your grandkids.'”


He said the incident is a symptom of a rise in crime in the area — which he blamed on lenient state criminal justice reforms.

One of the suspects is seen outside the store wearing a FedEx shirt.DCPI
“To me, it was pretty safe in this neighborhood,” Kwon said. “But the past couple of years, I think the bail reform has criminals going right back out on the street.


“Even during the pandemic when Soho was getting looted, we only had to roll down the cage,” he added. “But this was really brazen. Obviously, the criminals really have some balls right now.”


The thieves also tried to open a safe inside the store, but failed, before they ran off. No arrests have been made.


The elderly victim was treated by EMS workers at the scene.





His wife, who asked not to be identified, said she hopes cops get the crooks — but fears they’ll just end up back on the streets anyway.


“I hope they lock them up,” she said. “People can rob and they say when it’s under $1,000 they can go free. You know, how is that fair?


“That’s why they continue to do it. Stealing anything is not right.”