Police Searching For Man In Upper West Side Robbery Spree
Editor's Note: This article was updated March 1, 2015.
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Police are looking for a suspect wanted in connection with an attempted robbery and successful robbery on the Upper West Side.
On Feb. 22 at around 8:30 p.m., the suspect went into Columbus Avenue Stationery at 695 Columbus Ave. displaying a gun and demanded cash from the employee, police said. However, a customer entered the store and the suspect took off without any property.
The store's owner "was shaking like you wouldn't believe it," a longtime customer of the store told CBS2's Ilana Gold. "And I know them. It's a very quiet couple from India, and they're very hardworking because they open at 7 and they close at 11."
On Feb. 23 around 2:10 a.m., the same suspect entered Europan, at 2197 Broadway, walked behind the counter while an employee was distracted and took cash from the register before fleeing, police said. The employee followed the suspect, but retreated when he displayed a gun.
Police have described the suspect as a Hispanic male 20 to 25 years old. He is seen in surveillance footage wearing a gray hooded jacket.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. You can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or texting tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.