Man armed with gun robs teen of phone in Garden City, cops say

Garden City police are searching for a man armed with a gun who they said robbed an 18-year-old Hempstead man of his cellphone, headphones and cash last week after he asked the victim what time it was while walking along Second Street.

The 7:38 a.m. heist on Oct. 25 was captured on video, so police are confident the suspect can be identified.

“Someone that knows him will see it’s him,” said Det. Robert Rothermel, adding that as many as four video cameras caught the robbery near the Hempstead-Garden City border.

Police said the victim was walking east on Second Street, just west of North Franklin Street, when he was approached by a man who asked him for the time of day, Rothermel said. The victim replied that it was 7:38 a.m., at which point the suspect shoved a handgun into the victim’s side and demanded his phone.

The victim handed over the phone, which he told police had cost $350, $20 in cash, a pair of headphones worth $150 and some earbuds he said were valued at about $20.

The suspect then told the victim to walk away, warning him not to turn around or else he would be shot, police said.

The victim went home and called Hempstead police, who escorted him back to the scene of the crime and connected him with Garden City police to launch the investigation, police said.

The video, Rothermel said, shows the confrontation and captures the suspect running west on Second Street.

Police said anyone with information about the incident could call 516-465-4151.