Knifepoint Robber Drove 'Rare' Car During Spree To Support Heroin Habit: Police

Story posted on May 2, 2017: An "extremely rare" car used as a getaway vehicle led to the takedown on Monday night of the serial knifepoint robber who targeted 18 Long Island businesses over the past few months to support his heroin habit, police say.

Shane Cashmore, 30, was charged with first-degree robbery for the knifepoint robberies dating back to February.

A couple in the getaway vehicle during the Huntington Station robbery was also arrested, and each of them face first-degree robbery charges for this incident, police say. They were identified as Julianna Pantaleone, 31, and Paul Drab, 26, both of Levittown. Pantaleone was getting ready to inject heroin at the time of her arrest, police say.

All three suffer from a substance abuse disorder and committed the robberies to fuel their addictions, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said at a press conference on Tuesday morning.

Cashmore, who is homeless, often drove to his targeted locations in a 2006 Hyundai Tiburon, an “extremely rare” car that was only built between 1999 and 2008, police say. There are about 200 cars with this model in New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties, Nassau County Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said.

Cashmore was arrested in Nassau County for a misdemeanor drug possession charge while driving this vehicle about 30 days ago, which brought the vehicle to the attention of investigating detectives, Krumpter said.

Around April 20, officers began monitoring the vehicle, which is owned by Pantaleone.

On Monday night, police say the vehicle, occupied by Cashmore, Drab and Pantaleone, was seen on West Hills Road. “When a police officer was at that location, they left that area,” Krumpter said. “They responded to New York Avenue in Huntington Station, at which time they parked the car on President Street.”

Detectives began monitoring Carvel and two other businesses that matched the pattern of stores targeted during the robberies. Cashmore entered Carvel, located at 1840 New York Ave., at 9:30 p.m., police say. Nassau County Police Detectives arrested Cashmore after he exited the store. Drab and Pantaleone, who were inside the car at the time of the robbery, were then arrested, police say.

Police say Cashmore has struck 10 businesses in Nassau County and eight in Suffolk since Feb. 15. The last four robberies have been in Suffolk. No one has been injured in any of these incidents. The last robbery occurred on Sunday in Lake Ronkonkoma at a convenience store. Police say Cashmore, who has a connection to the Ronkonkoma area, used a different vehicle to rob the Lake Ronkonkoma store.

A timeline of the robberies, including one attempted robbery, that fit the pattern can be found below:

• Monday, Feb. 13: Carvel, located at 1075 Montauk Highway, in Copiague.
• Wednesday, Feb. 15: Attempted robbery at Dunkin' Donuts, located at 4007 Merrick Road in Seaford. Read more here.
• Wednesday, Feb. 15: Carvel, located at 319 Northwest Drive in South Farmingdale. Read more here.
• Monday, March 20: Subway, located at 1195 Sunrise Highway in Copaigue.
• Tuesday, March 21: Carvel, located at 4246 Hicksville Road in Bethpage. Read more here.
• Sunday, March 26: Carvel, located at 801 Carman Ave. in Westbury. Read more here.
• Tuesday, March 28: Subway, located at 347 Old Country Road in Carle Place. Read more here.
• Sunday, April 1: Carvel, located at 290 Ronkonkoma Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma. Read more here.
• Tuesday, April 4: Subway, located at 1022 Old Country Road in Plainview. Read more here.
• Saturday, April 8: Subway, located at 890 Old Country Road in Westbury. Read more here.
• Tuesday, April 11: The Barn, located at 10 Belmont Ave. in West Babylon. Read more here.
• Tuesday, April 11: GameStop, located at 2212 Sunrise Highway in Merrick. Read more here.
• Tuesday, April 11: Carvel, located at 1551 Dutch Broadway in Valley Stream. Read more here.
• Saturday, April 15: Subway, located at 1341 Jerusalem Ave. in North Merrick. Read more here.
• Saturday, April 15: TCBY, located at 653 Sunrise Highway in Lynbrook. Read more here.
• Tuesday, April 18: Subway, located at 600 Portion Road in Lake Ronkonkoma. Read more here.
• Wednesday, April 19: Baskin-Robbins, located at 4597 Sunrise Highway in Bohemia. Read more here.
• Sunday, April 30: The Barn, located at 370 Hawkins Ave. in Lake Ronkonkoma. Read more here.

Below are surveillance images of the robber released by police:

Mugshots via SCPD, (l-r) Shane Cashmore, Julianna Pantaleone and Paul Drab. Additional Photos by Ron Schankin