Hicksville restaurant robbery ends with employee grabbing assailant, police say

A 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery after his attempt to steal cash from a Hicksville restaurant Sunday ended with an employee grabbing him, Nassau police said.

Just before 2:54 a.m. on Sunday, Maxwell Thomasson, of Hicksville, walked into Crown Chicken and Grill and handed a 26-year-old employee a note demanding money, police said. Thomasson also told the employee that he had a gun, police said.

After initially complying and handing over the money, the employee grabbed Thomasson before he could leave the restaurant and held him until police arrived, authorities said.

In a phone interview with Newsday, the restaurant employee, Mukhtar Suleiman, said his father owned the establishment. Suleiman said Thomasson threatened him several times, and lifted his shirt to “show me something, but nothing was there.” Though he was nervous at first, Suleiman said, he realized that there was no gun.

“Once he turned around, I ran after him, grabbed him and threw him on the floor and I checked his pockets, and he didn't have anything, Suleiman recalled. “ At that time, I yelled to my brother-in-law to call the cops and I just had him detained on the floor, I was sitting on top of him, and then the cops came and that was it.”

Suleiman said he did not suffer any serious injuries but had minor pain in his hand.

 “I was more scared of if I let him take the money, he’s going to come again and again because we’re open pretty late,” Suleiman said. “I don’t want people thinking this is an easy target.”

Police said no other injuries were reported and said Thomasson was placed into police custody without further incident.

Thomasson was also responsible for a robbery at a gas station in North Massapequa at 1:30 a.m. that same day, police said.

Thomasson was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and was arraigned on Sunday at First District Court in Hempstead. The case was adjourned, and a temporary order of protection was issued, online records show. He was held on bail of $10,000 bond or $5,000 cash bail. He is expected back in court on Oct. 5.

According to online records, Timothy David Aldridge is representing Thomasson. Aldridge could not be reached for comment.