The two men accused of robbing a Verizon Wireless store at gunpoint last week robbed at least three other Verizon stores in Westchester and Orange counties, federal prosecutors said.
New York City residents Diabel Samb, 32, and Mamadou Ndao, 24, who were arrested in connection with the Oct. 24 robbery of a Greenburgh store and ensuing police chase, are accused of robbing a Tarrytown Verizon store on March 3, and a Newburgh Verizon store on May 30, according to federal prosecutors.
They‘re facing federal charges of one count of Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence.
“As alleged, Ndao and Samb endangered the lives of customers and store employees in a series of armed robberies,” Joon Kim, the acting US Attorney of the Southern District of New York, said in a statement. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners, the defendants are now in custody and will face justice in federal court.”
Samb and Ndao entered a Verizon Wireless store at 979 S. Central Ave. in the Edgemont section of Greenburgh around 11 a.m. on Oct. 24, forced the employees to the back of the store and stole numerous cellphones before driving off in a white Jeep Liberty, police said.
Police followed them onto the Bronx River Parkway, Cross County Parkway and Hutchinson River Parkway, where they got off at Sandford Boulevard and drove into the Bronx before heading into Mount Vernon, according to police.
The Jeep and a county police SUV crashed near the intersection of West Seventh Street and South Fifth Avenue in Mount Vernon. County police and Pelham police then took the men into custody after a short foot pursuit, Westchester police said.
Greenburgh police said Mount Vernon police, Yonkers police and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force also helped with the investigation.
Greenbrugh Police Chief Christopher McNerney praised the effort of all the law enforcement agencies involved.
“This successful investigation is the direct result of an outstanding cooperative effort,” McNerney said in a statement. “The arrests of these violent individuals and pending federal prosecution sends a message to the residents of Westchester and beyond that we are committed to using all resources available to fight crime and prosecute offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
https://www.lohud.com/story/news/crime/2017/11/01/greenburgh-verizon-wireless-robbery-suspects-facing-federal-charges/822350001/