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Armed Men Duct Tape Woman Before Robbing Inwood Cigar Lounge, Police Say

 Two suspects robbed Cave Cigar Lounge in Inwood on Dec. 28, 2016, police said.
Two suspects robbed Cave Cigar Lounge in Inwood on Dec. 28, 2016, police said.
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NYPD

INWOOD — A pair of armed men held up a woman working at a local cigar lounge, duct taping her arms and mouth and locking her in the bathroom before robbing the place, police said.

The incident, which occurred late last year but was only publicized by police this week, took place inside Cave Cigars Lounge at 45 Vermilyea Ave. at approximately 3:09 p.m. on Dec. 28, the NYPD said.

One of the suspects pointed a gun at 37-year-old woman, demanding she give them money, before both men bound the victim’s arms and mouth with tape, locked her in the bathroom and took $20 from the register, police said.

Surveillance images of suspects shows one wearing sunglasses and a mask partially covering his face, while the other wore a hoodie.

The cigar lounge sits across the street from I.S. 52 and Citikids Preschool. 

Police did not say why they waited two months to release information about the robbery. 

The robbery occurred only blocks from where police arrested 32 people in early January for operating a drug-dealing ring on Vermilyea Avenue between 204th and 207th street.

That ring operated from approximately Aug. 29 to Dec. 26, 2016, officials said.

Since then, the 34th Precinct has been patrolling in the community more regularly, Deputy Inspector Raymundo Mundo told those present at last month's precinct community council meeting.

“So just know, although we did the takedown, we’re still in the area,” he said.

Outreach includes a resource fair that’s slated to take place on Thursday, March 2, at the Washington Heights Academy at 202 Sherman Ave. from 5 to 8 p.m., he said.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.