ASTORIA — A Boost Mobile employee in Astoria used a garbage can and other assorted objects to fend off a gun-toting robber Friday night, police said.
The man entered a Boost Mobile storefront at 25-38 Broadway around 7:45 p.m. Friday wearing a purple, long-sleeved MetroPCS shirt and approached the 22-year-old female employee, brandishing a silver handgun, police said.
After allegedly instructing the woman behind the counter not to make any noise, the suspect demanded that she empty the cash register. But the woman refused, instead screaming and throwing random objects, according to police.
The suspect then ran behind the counter and tried to force her to open the register, but she again refused, and he ran out of the store soon after, police said.
Video released by the NYPD shows the suspect pointing the silver gun at the employee, who responded by picking up a nearby trash can and tossing it in the man's face before his escape.
In addition to the MetroPCS shirt, the suspect was seen on video wearing a New York Yankees hat, dark sunglasses, black shorts and black sneakers.
Anyone with information in regards to the attempted robbery is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
