Man tried to rob North Merrick bakery, Nassau police say

Nassau County police detectives are searching for a man they say tried to rob an Italian bakery at knife-point in North Merrick Friday afternoon.

Around 3 p.m., the man, dressed in a gray hooded sweatshirt, bluejeans and a black bandanna covering his face, walked into Vincent’s Italian Bakery on Merrick Avenue with a knife and demanded cash from an employee. While the that employee refused, a second bakery employee emerged from the kitchen and knocked the knife from the suspect’s hand, police said in a news release.

A man who identified himself as the owner of the store, reached by phone Saturday morning, said he was there when the attempted robbery occurred.

“As long as everyone is all right, that’s all that matters,” said the man, who identified himself only as Vincent.

He declined to speak further, saying he had “a lot of work to do.”

The suspect fled the store southbound on foot, through a gas station and then ran east on Jerusalem Avenue. No one was injured, police said.

The man is described as 5-foot-11 and about 150 pounds.

Police could not say Saturday morning whether they believe this attempted robbery is related to a string of 11 knife-point robberies in Nassau since March 1. Those pattern robberies include six Dunkin’ Donuts, two Subways, one 7-11 convenience store and two Carvel ice cream shops in a 16-mile area, police said in late April.

Anyone with information is asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-8477. All calls will be kept confidential.