ARMED ROBBERY NEAR LOCAL SCHOOL

By Charles Rogers

In a brazen, daylight robbery, an armed thief climbed into the back of a delivery truck that had been in the process of collecting receipts from groceries and bodegas on Flatlands Avenue and robbed the driver, police said.

The robbery occurred at about 3 p.m. last Thursday, January 8 while the Utz Potato Chip truck was parked near East 82nd Street, just across the street from I.S. 68, where hundreds of children were just getting released from school. School Safety Police are usually on hand at that location, but there was no indication that they knew a robbery was occurring at the time.

Officials from the 69th Precinct Detective Squad said the driver, whose name was not released, had finished his route for the day and had just picked up some Chinese take-out food. He brought it back to the truck and had just sat down when the robber came from behind, put a gun to his neck and said, "Give me all your money." The driver complied, handing over approximately $1,500 in cash, at which time the man aimed the gun at him and then climbed out the back door of the truck, escaping on foot and heading south on East 82nd Street. There is no indication that he got into a car at that point.

The driver hailed police and told them what had happened but by the time they were told, the gunman, described as black, about five-feet, eight-inches tall, 160 pounds and in his 20s, had escaped. The driver was not hurt.

Police ask that anyone who might have seen anything or has any information on the case is asked to call the 69th Precinct Detective Squad at (718) 257-6215 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. All calls will be strictly confidential.