By Jeff Lipton
The 71-year-old man apparently went into shock from the incident and was admitted to South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside for a rapid heartbeat, officials said.
The incident was the second robbery of an elderly couple near home on Cedar Avenue in less than eight months, spurring some residents to call for increased security there.
"Of course, security is needed," said Dr. Irwin Harris, a Cedar Avenue resident.
Another neighbor of the victimized couple was surprised by the news. "This is the first I'm hearing about it and I'm glad you told me because I now have to watch out," said the neighbor, who did not want to be identified. "Yeah, sure, we could use more security, but we all have to be just a little more cautious."
But yet a third neighbor, also asking not to be identified, said the incident did not frighten her, and that her neighborhood is as safe as it has ever been. "I don't feel unsafe," she said.
The latest robbery occurred at 7:40 P.M. Dec. 9, when the husband and wife drove into their garage and were confronted by a robber who slipped into the garage after them, investigators said. The robber told the couple "to be quiet and hand over all the money and jewelry," said Detective Lieutenant Gregory Detwiller of the Fourth Squad. A weapon was not shown, the lieutenant added.
The robber then pushed the man against the wall of the garage and demanded his wallet and jewelry. He also ordered the man's wife, 69, to hand over her money and jewelry, and both victims complied. The robber escaped with about $3,500 in cash and a substantial amount in jewelry, which included two watches, a necklace and a diamond wedding band, investigators said.
"The man was in shock and he was complaining that he was having some difficulty [with his heart]," said Lieutenant Detwiller.
"This is an elderly man, and he pushed him up against the wall, possibly to control him and show him that he means business."
The robber may have escaped in a small, burgundy, substantially damaged auto. A neighbor and the taxi driver who was dropping him off both told police they noticed the auto parked at the scene at about the time of the robbery.
The robber was described as a black man, about 20 years old, 6 feet tall and 175 pounds, police said. He was wearing a red jacket with white stripes and a black knit hat. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All calls will be kept strictly confidential, police said.
Late in the afternoon April 22, a 79-year-old man and 76-year-old wife were walking home on Cedar Avenue from religious services at a synagogue when they were approached by a man armed with a hand gun. The man threw the woman to the ground and threatened to shoot her if she failed to hand over valuables. The victims insisted they had nothing of value on them, and the armed man rifled through their pockets and then escaped empty-handed. He fled in a dark blue van that was parked on Cedar Avenue, and headed toward Hewlett Neck. The description of the robber in that incident was different from the robber in Saturday's heist, and police do not believe the robberies were committed by the same person.
In response to concern, though, police said residents can take extra precautions by being a little more aware of their surroundings and making sure that they are not being followed. It is not known whether the victims Saturday were being followed.
"If they see somebody suspicious, they shouldn't get out of their car," said Lieutenant Detwiller. "In this case, I'm pretty sure they didn't see him.
"In Hewlett Bay Park, it is desolate down there. They probably have lived there for many years and nothing like this has ever happened to them. This is a crime of opportunity, and they may have been followed."
