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Armed Thief Steals Fake Diamond Earrings From Taco Truck Worker, Police Say

By Emily Frost | January 16, 2015 10:32am | Updated on January 23, 2015 10:10am
 A taco truck robber made off with $120 in cash and $5 fake diamond earrings. 
UWS Taco Truck Robbed
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UPPER WEST SIDE — A pair of taco truck workers who were robbed of cash and jewelry at gunpoint this week returned to work less than a day after the harrowing incident — with one employee sporting a new pair of earrings after having hers snatched in the stickup, police and staff said.

Four workers inside Super Tacos, a food truck serving authentic Mexican eats parked on the southwest corner of Broadway at West 96th Street, were robbed of $120 in cash and a pair of $5 faux diamond earrings Thursday about 1:30 a.m., said two of the employees and Capt. Timothy Malin of the 24th Precinct.  

The suspect flashed a small black handgun, entered the truck and demanded that the workers, two men and two women, get down on the ground, said Malin and the female employees.

"He came in and said, 'Give me the money,'" said Augustina Galvez, 47, who has worked at the truck for 15 years, adding that she was shocked and scared. 

"It felt like it happened in one fast minute. It was very fast."

When the robber found only $120 in the register, he "made a comment to the effect of, 'That’s all? $120?'" Malin said. He then demanded that another female worker, Cleotilde Roservido, 54, fork over what looked like diamond earrings, the captain noted.

She complied, but "turns out they weren’t diamonds," Malin said.

When Roservido realized the robber was only going to take her earrings and not harm anyone, she said she was able to laugh about the loss of her inexpensive jewelry.

She was even wearing a new pair of earrings studded with fake diamonds during her next shift on Thursday night.

The suspect fled with the cash and earrings, heading east on West 96th Street, said Malin and the workers. There were no reported injuries.

Police canvassed the area for video and dusted the cart for prints, Malin said. The suspect is described by the NYPD as a 20- to 26-year-old man standing about 5-foot-6.

The owner of the truck, which has been selling tacos from the same corner for 25 years, did not return a request for comment. 

Anyone with any information can provide a tip confidentially by calling 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), submitting a tip via www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting CRIMES (274637) and then entering TIP577.