By Anthony Rifilato
Andre, a former employee at the nearby Petland store in the Waldbaum's Shopping Center, had called employees at The Avenue last Friday to inform them he was about to rob the store and that he had a gun.
"He called them and said he was looking right at them," said store manager Grace Dietrich, who was not in the store when the robbery occurred but received reports from her employees.
"He came in about 15 minutes later and took $300 dollars," Dietrich said.
Andre allegedly threatened to use the gun and demanded money from the register. The fearful employees handed the cash to Andre, who then fled the store.
But the robber didn't wear a mask, and the employees were able to give the police a name.
"It's not like we didn't know him," Dietrich said. "I can't believe it was him. It's kind of shocking because he seemed like a nice guy."
Dietrich said they would often say hello to Andre when he was at work and that he wasn't a stranger. She also said that Andre's wife shopped in the store frequently and that he had been transferred to a Petland in Freeport about a month ago.
A Petland employee at the Freeport location said that Andre had been fired recently, prior to the robbery. Like The Avenue employees, the Petland employee said he was shocked by the news of the robbery.
"He was a good worker," said the employee, who refused to give his name. "But there was an incident and we had to let him [Andre] go." He did not elaborate on Andre's termination.
Andre has been charged with third degree robbery and was arraigned on Oct. 21. He could not be reached for comment at press time.
