NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – Police are seeking several suspects linked to three separate smoke shop robberies in Manhattan.
The first robbery happened on Feb. 20 at approximately 9:30 p.m. A 25-year-old man was helping a customer exit and opened the door for them at Pure Green Smoke Shop on West 72nd Street when six unidentified individuals entered and demanded that the victim open the display case.
After breaking the display case with a blunt object, the suspects fled toward West 76th Street. The employee sustained a minor arm laceration but declined medical treatment.
Two days later, around 7:40 p.m., six suspects walked into Green Organic Market at 664 Ninth Ave. in Gramercy while a 33-year-old was standing behind the cash register. The suspects then stole cannabis items and escaped into the 53rd Street subway station. Police apprehended one suspect in the station, while the others escaped.
The victim did not have any injuries.
The most recent hold-up took place on March 18 at about 9 p.m., when three individuals targeted Zookies at 447 Amsterdam Ave. on the Upper West Side. As a 22-year-old woman was at the counter, the suspects stole small cannabis bags and attempted to re-enter after fleeing but were unable to because the victim had locked the door. They were seen heading north on Amsterdam Avenue.
The victim was not injured.
An investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
