Police Searching For Suspects Wanted In String Of Jewelry Store Armed Robberies
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A female jewelry store clerk who took on three suspects in a rash of Chinatown robberies is speaking out.
As CBS 2's Tamara Leitner reported Tuesday, Bi Yun Li said she is back to work despite still having nightmares about what happened.
"I still scared. Because so many days I no open store," Li told Leitner.
Surveillance video inside the East Broadway store shows Li fighting three armed robbers.
"I just push. Second people have the gun," she recounted.
As one of the men is seen on video grabbing gold necklaces, Li can be seen fighting back. The suspect tosses her to the ground, but she picks herself up and lunges at the man, Leitner reported.
Even as a second man hit Li in the head with a gun, she continued fighting.
The video shows Li pulling the suspect's hoodie over his head and grabbing him as he scrambles to get away.
Li said she believes it was the third time the same robbers tried to steal from her.
Surveillance video from the day before in October shows her lunging at a hooded man as he tries to hop over the jewelry counter.
"The first time, I pushed the alarm," Li said.
According to police, the same three suspects are wanted in connection with six other jewelry store robberies in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens in the last two months.
The armed robberies were carried out at the following jewelry stores by the suspects, said police:
- Sept. 10, 2013 at 4:15 p.m. inside 169 Canal St.
- Oct. 15, 2013 at 6:45 p.m. inside 5914 8th Ave.
- Oct. 17, 2013 at 6:35 p.m. inside 66 East Broadway
- Oct. 18, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. inside 66 East Broadway
- Oct. 28, 2013 at 7:50 p.m. inside 37-58 103 St.
- Oct. 31, 2013 at 6:35 p.m. inside 74-15 37 Ave.
- Nov. 9, 2013 at 5:55 p.m. inside 37-11 Main St.
Parish Joshi said his Jackson Heights jewelry store, Virani Jewelry, was hit on Halloween. Police said the masked men got away with $200,000 worth of gold jewelry.
"I'm very much worried," Joshi told Leitner.
"I can't sleep in so many days," Li added.
Li said she believes she has seen at least one of the alleged robbers in the neighborhood since her store was hit last month.
Police said they are looking for possibly as many as four suspects. They are all just described as Hispanic men.
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