Smoke Shop Robbery - Worker Pistol Whipped

Police are searching for this man in connection with the robbery of a smoke shop and the pistol whipping of an employee. -Photo by NYPD

By Dan Gesslein 

NYC News Network 

October 17, 2023 

NEW YORK - Police are asking for the public’s help in trying to catch a smoke shop bandit who pistol whipped an employee after robbing the store. 

At around 8:15 pm on October 11, a man dressed in black walked into the smoke shop at 150-19 Cross Bay Boulevard in Queens. Cops said the suspect pulled a handgun on the store employee and demanded cash. The worker removed money from the register and handed over $3,000. 

After receiving the cash, cops said the gunman reached over the counter and smashed the butt of the weapon into the employee’s head. 

The gunman then ran out of the store and hopped into a white SUV headed south on Cross Bay Boulevard. 

Police released surveillance video of the suspect as he fled the smoke shop. 

The suspect is described as a male with a light complexion and a medium build. He was last seen wearing a black facemask, black hoodie, black sweatpants and black sneakers.

Anyone with information in regard 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). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. 

All calls are strictly confidential.