DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — A self-proclaimed modern-day Robin Hood was arrested for giving customers more than $3,000 in free beverages at a Downtown Brooklyn IHOP, according to prosecutors.
William F. Powell, 27, was arrested on March 2 for giving customers free drinks between August 7, 2015 and Feb. 18 of this year at the IHOP at 253 Livingston Street, according to a criminal complaint.
“I am the modern day Robin Hood, I am not stealing, I am serving the ones in need, I take from the rich and give to the poor,” Powell told investigators after he was caught, according to the complaint.
Akrell Cox, the owner of the IHOP, told police he grew suspicious when he noticed Powell’s beverage sales were at 6 percent of the total receipt compared to 17 to 20 percent for other employees working the same shift and schedule, the complaint said.
Cox reviewed surveillance footage starting in August of last year and saw that Powell was serving customers the typical number of drinks, the complaint said.
When he reviewed IHOP’s records, Cox saw that Powell hadn’t been charging customers for any drinks that he had seen him give out in the surveillance video, according to prosecutors.
After defending his behavior, Powell added, “What’s the big deal? I’ve been doing this since I started here."
Cox told police he lost more than $3,000 in drink sales.
Powell was charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and petit larceny. His next court appearance is scheduled for May 11.
Powell’s Brooklyn Defender Services attorney Cameron Mease did not immediately return request for comment.
Other notable crimes from the 84th and 88th precincts, according to police, include:
► A 54-year-old man slashed a 33-year-old man in the face with a box cutter at the G stop on Lafayette and Classon avenues at 2:50 a.m. on Feb. 29. The victim was treated at Brooklyn Hospital for a cut on the nose. Police arrested 54-year-old Anthony Purdie and charged him with assault, harassment, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
► A 15-year-old boy was playing basketball at McLaughlin Park, on the northeast corner of Jay and Tillary streets, at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 29 when a 16-year-old took out a black handgun and said, “I’m not going to kill you, but I will shoot you in the leg.” He then demanded the victim’s cellphone, but didn’t want the one the victim had, so he fled on foot. Police arrested a 16-year-old who is charged with armed robbery, grand larceny, menacing and harassment.
► A 45-year-old woman was in the basement of her apartment building at 429 Clinton Place just before 7 p.m. on Feb. 29 when she told her husband, who was on the sixth floor, to put her purse into the elevator and send it down to the basement for her. When the elevator got to the basement, her purse was gone. No arrests have been made.
► A group of five male suspects surrounded a 15-year-old and demanded his money at gunpoint at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 29 near 395 Flatbush Ave. Ext. The boy gave them his iPhone and passcode and one of the suspects threatened the boy by saying, “I know your school,” if the passcode was incorrect. Police arrested two 16-year-old boys on charges of robbery, grand larceny and possession of stolen property.
► Five male suspects stopped two 15-year-old boys who were walking eastbound on Livingston Street near Flatbush Avenue at 4:40 p.m. on March 1 and asked them for the time. When the boys said they didn’t have the time, the suspects told them to run their pockets and take out their phones. One of the suspects took out a knife and told the victims he would poke them up for not following their orders quickly enough. The suspects took the two iPhones and fled. No arrests have been made.
