KENSINGTON — An armed robber held up a popular Church Avenue cafe while a writers' group was meeting there on Thursday night, police said.
The robber entered Lark Cafe at Church Avenue and East 10th Street at about 10 p.m. — just as a writing workshop was wrapping up — held up a gun and told everyone to put their computers in his bag, according to the cafe owner and police.
He grabbed three Apple laptops and one iPad before fleeing on foot, police said.
While there were nine witnesses at the scene when police arrived, they couldn't be of much help because the robber's face was covered, said cafe owner Kari Browne, who was not at the cafe when the robbery happened.
The terrifying incident happened just two days after local business owners and community members met with police from the 70th Precinct about a rash of armed robberies at nearby businesses, Ditmas Park Corner reported.
"We're a tight-knit business community in this neighborhood and we're all feeling quite vulnerable at the moment," Browne said.
An NYPD spokesman couldn't confirm whether the robbery was part of a larger pattern in the 70th Precinct.
“As a business, open to the public, it is our pleasure to serve and welcome,” Browne posted on Facebook after the incident. “It's a terrible thing when an act violates our community, our business and our neighbors.”
Community Board 14 is holding a meeting about local crime concerns on Monday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. in the Community Board 14 district office at 810 E. 16th St.
