Pot Shop Workers Hit with Pepper Spray

Surveillance Video - Crew Sprays Workers, Steals Marijuana Products 

The NYPD is searching for at least 5 men in connection with a string of robberies of smoke shops in which the employees were pepper sprayed. -Photo by NYPD

By Dan Gesslein 

NYC News Network 

November 14, 2023 

NEW YORK - The NYPD is searching for a group of men who pepper sprayed workers and robbed two smoke shops. Police released surveillance video of at least five suspects in the robberies that took place in lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. 

The first robbery took place around 10:15 pm on November 1. Investigators said a group of men walked into the smoke shop on Madison Street and pepper sprayed the 22-year-old worker. The employee doubled over after being struck in the face with the chemical, as the men went about robbing the store. 

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Cops said they removed $1,400 in cash and stole a cell phone from the store before fleeing. 

EMS transported the victim to NY Downtown Hospital for treatment for pain and burning to the eyes. 

Cops said the same crew struck days later in Williamsbridge, Brooklyn. At around 10:45 pm on November 7, a 26-year-old male employee was working inside the Bogart Street smoke shop. Cops said the group of men walking in and pepper sprayed the worker in the face. 

The crew then removed $300 in cash and marijuana products from the store before fleeing in an unknown direction. 

EMS treated the victim at the scene for pain and burning of the eyes. The NYPD released the surveillance video in the hopes of catching the crew. 

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.