City Police Nab Suspect in Attempted Robbery

A Glen Cove man was arrested Tuesday after city police say he tried to rob the King Kullen supermarket on Forest Avenue with a BB gun. 

According to city detectives, resident Lorenzo B. Knight, 61, of Landing Road, approached the store's courtesy counter with a black mask over his face at 2 p.m. that day, and demanded money from a female employee while brandishing what appeared to be a black handgun. 

But police said Knight later ran out of the store without any money after the woman screamed and ran behind a wall in fear for her safety. 

City and Nassau County police then teamed up to investigate the incident and even brought out the county's K-9 Unit to help search for the suspect.

"Glen Cove Lieutenant Ralph Bruschini studied the store's surveillance video in an effort for a more detailed description of the assailant," City Police Chief William Whitton explained. "New information was then broadcast to searching officers."

Knight was arrested two hours later when officer Eddy Linares, stopped the resident while he was driving on Glen Cove Avenue. After a routine car search, the arresting officers later determined that the black weapon was a BB gun.  

"Officer Linares radioed for assistance and conducted a vehicle stop near the Hess gas station," Whitton said. "Evidence linking the driver of the vehicle to the crime was obtained, including a BB pistol and Mr. Knight was placed under arrest. Subsequently, a full confession was obtained by Glen Cove Detectives Karl Van Allen and Joseph Graziosi." 

Knight was charged with attempted robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing. He was arrainged in the First District Court in Hempstead on Wednesday.