Man Caught In Riverhead With Loaded Handgun After 2 Robberies: Police

RIVERHEAD, NY — A Calverton man was arrested after he menaced someone with a handgun — and was later found to be a suspect in two robberies Sunday, police said.

According to Riverhead Town Police, at 8:13 a.m. Monday, a 911 call came in from the male driver of a vehicle who was menaced with a handgun in the Peconic River parking lot. The man said that while driving through the parking lot, an unknown male became agitated and displayed a handgun, pointing it in his direction in a threatening manner, police said.

Patrol units arrived and arrested Matthew Pittman, 21, police said. Detectives were called to assist in the investigation and recovered a 10mm loaded handgun, as well as a defaced .22 caliber handgun, police said. Pittman was determined to be a suspect in two previously reported robberies that took place on Sunday October 30, police said.

The first took place Sunday at 8:49 p.m., when police received a report of robbery that had just occurred on Third Street in Riverhead, police said. The person reported that a male approached him at the location, displayed what appeared to be a handgun, and demanded his money, police said. The person complied, and the robber fled the area, heading southbound on East Avenue, police said.

Next, at 10:17 p.m., police received another report of a robbery at the Mobil gas station on Old Country Road, authorities said. A gas station employee reported that someone entered the business and displayed a black handgun, demanding money, police said. The employee complied and was able to exit the station during the robbery and run across Pulaski Street, police said. The robber followed the clerk on foot and fired shots at the clerk, police said. Further investigation revealed that 11 spent shell casings were recovered, indicating that the robber had shot at the victim at least 11 times, police said.

The investigation led to the recovery of a 9mm ghost gun used in both robberies and the arrest of Matthew Pittman and two 17-year-old males, police said.

For the incident occurring on November 1, Pittman was arrested and charged with second-degree menacing; two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, police said.

For the incident occurring on October 30, at 8:49 p.m., Pittman was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; and second-degree menacing, police said.

And, for the incident on October 30 at 10:17 p.m., Pittman was arrested and charged with first-degree robbery; one count of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; one count of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; second-degree menacing; and first-degree reckless endangerment, police said.

One male, 17, was arrested and charged with second-degree criminal possession of a weapon; third-degree criminal possession of a weapon; criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds — a handgun was recovered from a vehicle in the parking lot of Riverhead High School; obstructing governmental administration; and tampering with physical evidence, police said.

Another male, 17, determined to be the driver of a vehicle for each robbery, was arrested and charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal facilitation, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Riverhead Police Department at 631-727-4500, ext. 312, or the department's crime hotline at 631-727-3333. All calls will be kept confidential.