UPDATE: Holbrook Man Found Hiding Under Pool Deck After Robbing Ralph's Italian Ices: Police

A 31-year-old Holbrook man robbed the Ralph’s Italian Ices store in Holbrook Friday night, but was soon tracked down by a K-9 unit and found hiding under a pool deck, police said.

According to police, Christopher Ventrice entered Ralph’s Italian Ices, located at 1191 Grundy Avenue, at about 10 p.m. and stated to an employee that he had a gun and demanded cash.

Ventrice fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

Fifth Precinct patrol officers along with officers from the canine and aviation sections responded. Fifth Precinct Patrol Officer Daniel Hogan spotted a suspicious man on a bicycle that fit the suspect’s description on Maria Court in Holbrook around 10:08 p.m., police said.

Hogan went to speak to the man, but the man got off his bicycle and fled into a backyard, police said. Officer Hogan pursued the suspect on foot but did not find him, police said.

Canine Officer Stephen McSweeney and his dog McClane spotted Ventrice hiding under a pool deck at a residence on Maria Court at about 11:10 p.m., police said. He was arrested without further incident. Ventrice did not have a gun on him at the time of the arrest, police said.

Ventrice was charged with first degree robbery and arraigned Saturday morning at First District Court in Central Islip.