Cops: Man Charged in CVS Robbery, Carjacking in East Rockaway

A Suffolk County man was charged with shoplifting from an East Rockaway pharmacy and carjacking a woman to avoid being caught last week, according to Nassau County Police.

David Melis, 59, of Holtsville, was charged with second- and third-degree robbery and petit larceny for the incident that happened Wednesday at CVS on Ocean Avenue, cops said.

At 3 p.m., Melis took several items from shelves at the pharmacy and tried to leave without paying, police said. The store’s manager and an employee confronted him and gave chase as he fled west on Prospect Avenue, cops said. CVS personnel caught him and, after a brief struggle, took back the stolen items, police said.

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Melis escaped their grasp and continued fleeing down Prospect Avenue when he came across a woman getting into her running car, police said. He shoved her out of the way and jumped into the car as witnesses tried to pull him out, cops said.

To escape, Melis backed into the car behind him, drove up onto the victim’s lawn, and fled east on Prospect Avenue, police said.

Melis was also implicated in thefts on April 14 at other CVS locations and was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and two counts of petit larceny. He was arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead.

Photo via NCPD

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