By Jeff Lipton
The victim, Dov Feit, owner of Thrifty Distributors Inc., also known as Thrifty Paper Co., was returning to his business, at 110 West Graham Ave., at 1:13 p.m. on Friday, April 11, after picking up the payroll at the bank, investigators said.
As he approached the front door of the store, he apparently was confronted by at least one robber, who grabbed the $13,500 Feit was carrying. The money was to be used to pay employees, detectives said.
He was returning from the bank with the payroll when he was attacked, said Det. Sgt. Dennis Barry of the Nassau County Homicide Squad.
A customer heard a thud and saw that Feit had fallen against the front door, police said. Employees ran to Feit's aid and noticed that his head was bleeding, police added. In addition, the payroll was gone, they said.
According to detectives, Feit suffered a head injury, but it wasn't immediately known whether he was struck by the robber or if the injury was caused by his fall.
He was taken to Mercy Medical Center in Rockville Centre in critical condition. Investigators said he also suffered a heart attack due to the trauma of the attack.
Feit was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:12 p.m. on Friday, April 18, exactly a week after the robbery, authorities said.
An autopsy was performed on Sunday, April 20, which determined that the cause of death was a fracture of the spine in back of the neck, said Sgt. Barry. Since Feit was a religious Jew, the autopsy was done under rabbinical supervision, detectives said.
Barry said the incident is being investigated as a murder, regardless of whether Feit's injury was the direct result of the robbery or his fall. We know the injury was sustained during the course of the attack, Barry said.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-244-TIPS or homicide detectives at 573-7788. All calls will be kept strictly confidential, police said.
Barry said the attack occurred in broad daylight. Maybe somebody may have seen something or heard something, he said.
Feit's family, friends and co-workers packed Boulevard-Riverside Funeral Chapels in Hewlett for funeral services on Monday, April 21. Family members said he fought in Israel's War of Independence in 1948 and was an army captain. They recalled that even though he was shot in the arm in combat, he escaped from a hospital, risking infection and even death, to return to fight alongside his comrades.
Rabbi Kenneth Hain, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Sholom in Lawrence, said at the funeral, We are gathered today to remember a great Jewish hero, a beloved father, husband and grandfather, Dov Feit, who was suddenly and tragically struck down over a week ago.
In 1948 he fought in the great battles of Israel, and he saw his friends and colleagues fall in battle, said Rabbi Hershel Billet, spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Woodmere.
Feit's family said he also built up a successful paper-goods business after he started out selling toilet paper from a pushcart in Brighton Beach.
One of nine siblings, he grew up in Poland and then fled the country for Russia. From there he traveled to Israel, a journey that took him more than a year. He was enlisted in the Israeli Army and rose to the rank of captain.
Rabbi Hain said that during religious services he would notice Feit standing in a corner of the synagogue looking at congregation members as they entered the synagogue. He looked like a commander looking over his troops, Hain said.
He also described Feit as a compassionate, caring soul.
Family members said he took many chances and cheated death many times. They said the words that describe him the most are strength, leadership and humility.
Feit is survived by his wife, Anna; his children, Mark, Sharon and David; and seven grandchildren. Following funeral services, he was buried at Beth David Cemetery in Elmont.
