by Jerry Burke
Police say that on Dec. 18, at about 3:50 p.m., two men, whom police have identified as Felix Garcia, 23, and Perdo Heureaux, 36, both Bronx residents, knocked on the door of the Elmont home. After the owner's 25-year-old son opened it, police say the two forced their way in and attempted to subdue the victim. He was, according to police, the only person home at the time.
The two would-be robbers, one of whom police say carried a .380-caliber automatic handgun, ordered the man to get down on the floor. He instead decided to fight back, biting one of the suspects on the hand until the other suspect pistol-whipped him a number of times. The victim sustained injuries to his head and eye socket.
Police say that in the confusion, the victim managed to escape, running and shouting, into his backyard. A resident who overheard the commotion managed to flag down Fifth Precinct Officer Matthew McMahon, who was on routine patrol at the time.
The two suspects attempted to flee by running down the street, but McMahon apprehended Garcia, would was carrying the gun. Garcia was arrested and brought to the Fifth Precinct station house on Dutch Broadway for questioning.
The second suspect eluded police until 1:20 a.m. Thursday when, based on information gathered from the investigation, they arrested Heureaux at his Bronx apartment without incident and brought back to Nassau County.
Because of the nature of the crime and the concern of the family, police have not yet identified the victim or his address. The motive for the attack has been reported by police as an attempt to steal money and cigarettes from the home owner, who police say sold items to small businesses in the New York City area out of his home, including cigarettes and candy. Police did not say how the suspects knew of the owner's occupation.
Police recovered the weapon at the scene of Garcia's arrest but would not say whether it was loaded.
Both Garcia and Heureaux were charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary, first-degree criminal use of a firearm, second-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. They were arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Thursday, and are being held in lieu of $100,000 bail each in the Nassau County Jail in East Meadow.
Police say the victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment and is recovering from head and eye injuries.
