By Matt Hampton
Fifth Precinct detectives allege that six youths made their way to the USA Gas station on Hempstead Turnpike to steal food and cigarettes. At 11:10 p.m., four of the teens stood guard outside the gas station while two made their way inside and approached the clerk. Before he could react, one of the teens punched him in the head and knocked him to the ground, police said, while another began gathering food in the store.
While the suspects rummaged around, picking up food and cigarettes, the clerk managed to sneak outside and call police. As he left, the four other teens ran inside, according to police.
After placing the call, the clerk returned, and noticed that they were still inside the store. In an attempt to make sure they were caught, police said, the clerk ran up to the store's front door and slammed it shut with his body, in an attempt to keep them inside. He was overpowered by the group, however, and they came streaming out of the gas station's market as police arrived on the scene.
Two of the teens were apprehended at the station, according to police. After a brief investigation, three more were arrested hours later. A sixth suspect is still on the loose. Police would not comment on which of them, if any, was suspected of assaulting the clerk.
Those arrested were Shawn Oakman, 18, of Hempstead; Robert Savage, 18, of Elmont; Steve Wong, 18, of South Floral Park; Brandon Jones, 17, of Elmont; and Dashawn Vaughn, 16, of Elmont. Police said they are still looking for the sixth suspect, and they are hopeful that he will be found either by local community watch groups or through information gathered from the captured suspects.
After making the arrests, police said, they were able to determine that members of the group were also the likely culprits in another recent food robbery, the mugging of a local pizza delivery man on July 12. According to police, all of the young men who were arrested are thought to have stalked a man on Chelsea Street in South Floral Park before jumping him, hitting him with a full backpack, punching him in the face, stealing a pizza and fleeing.
All five suspects were charged with first- and second-degree robbery. They were arraigned in First District Criminal Court on July 22.
Anyone who has information about the sixth suspect is asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at (800)-244-TIPS (8477). All calls will remain anonymous.
Comments about this story? MHampton@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 214.
