Suspects wanted in connection to string of armed robberies targeting spas in Queens
QUEENS (WABC) -- The NYPD is looking for the suspects behind a string of armed robberies targeting spas across Queens.
These incidents have all taken place over the last week, with the most recent occurring Monday afternoon at a spa on Jamaica Avenue.
In all, they are connected to at least four robberies, in which they enter holding up the clerks, demanding cash, and in some cases sexually assaulting the victims.
The first robbery happened on November 26 at 11:33 p.m. at a spa on Jamaica Avenue. Police say two men entered the location and held up three victims with a firearm and knife. They got away with $5,000 and three cell phones.
Then on December 2 at 7:50 p.m., a man entered another spa on Liberty Ave, where he struck a victim in the face with a firearm as she tried to escape and left with her cell phone and $700.
The victim was taken to a local hospital with injuries to her face and leg.
Just hours later, a man attempted to rob another business, this time on Jamaica Avenue, but when the victim stated she had no cash, he attempted to sexually assault her before firing a single gunshot. That bullet subsequently struck a 52-year-old male victim, who was in an adjacent room, in the abdomen.
The victim of the gun wound was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Officials say in the most recent run-in, a man entered another Jamaica Avenue establishment and demanded the victim into a private room before he sexually assaulted her.
Before leaving the location, they say he removed $190 from the victim and an unknown amount of cash from two others.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
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