UPPER EAST SIDE — A man tried to rob a 24-hour FedEx store by threatening employees with a bike handle that he said was a gun, according to the NYPD.
Samuel Harris, 52, of East Harlem, walked into the 1122 Lexington Ave. store, near East 78th Street, at 2:10 a.m. Friday, authorities said.
He was carrying a black, rubber bike handle in his jacket pocket and told the cashier it was a gun, before demanding money, authorities said.
Harris ended up fleeing empty handed and police caught up with him at about 3:30 a.m., according to officials.
In addition to the bike handle, officers found Harris was carrying a pipe with some kind of illegal substance in his back pocket, according to the criminal complaint.
Harris was charged with attempted robbery, menacing and criminal possession of a controlled substance, authorities said.
He had been previously arrested in 1992 for a similar incident, police said.
His attorney did not immediately return a call for comment.
During his arraignment, bail was set at $7,000 cash. Harris is being held at the Manhattan Detention Complex pending his next court date on June 15.
FedEx did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday.
