Search Continues For Suspect In Violent Armed Robbery Of Greenwich Village CVS
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The search continues for a suspect who police said is wanted in connection with a violent armed robbery of a CVS pharmacy in Greenwich Village.
It happened around 3:15 a.m. Monday at a CVS on 6th Avenue and Washington Place.
Police said a man walked into the store and then forced the manager into a back office where he throws him to the ground and punches him repeatedly. The entire incident was caught on surveillance video.
Moments later, the suspect appears to hold a gun to the manager's head and forces him to open the safe.
That's when he pushes the manager away and quickly empties the safe's contents into a messenger bag. He then slowly backs away, pointing the gun at the manager one more time before making his getaway.
Police said the man made off with more than $9,000 in cash from the safe.
Joe Mott, a security guard for the residential building that shares a door with the CVS, said he was standing right behind it when the robbery happened.
"I always hear commotion on the other side of the door but I never think that it's a panicking thing," Mott told CBS2's Diane Macedo. "It's very scary because it's something that I've been worried about ever since CVS came here -- knowing that the door opens up into their office and I'm thinking if there's a robbery there, that's going to be a problem for us because they're right on our property. So that was always a fear of mine."
Others who live and work in the area were also concerned.
"It's a very dangerous and scary thing," said resident Bob Rambusch.
"Makes people feel unsafe," said Stella Castilla, who works in the neighborhood.
The suspect was wearing a black 3/4 length jacket with a fur hood, gray pants and brown boots, police said. He was also carrying a black messenger bag.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
