Police: Suffolk Serial Robbers Caught

Two men have been arrested and charged in a dozen armed robberies of gas stations and donut shops across Suffolk County in recent weeks, police said Thursday.

Andrew Berger, 27, of Williston Park, and Matthew McGurk, 25, of Commack, were arrested Wednesday night following an attempted robbery at a Blue Point Dunkin’ Donuts, police said.

Police said information was developed that led officers and detectives to surveil both man as possibly being connected to the string of robberies, which began in Deer Park on Dec. 22.

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While under surveillance, Berger was seen the entering Dunkin’ Donuts, located at 33 Montauk Highway in Blue Point, wearing a mask on Wednesday at about 9:10 p.m., police said.

Detectives entered the store during the robbery and arrested Berger, police said.

A short time later, detectives located McGurk, who was waiting nearby in a parked vehicle, police said.

Berger and McGurk were both charged with 12 counts of second degree robbery and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Thursday.

Newsday has reported that shots were fired during a confrontation between the detective and Berger inside the Dunkin’ Donuts, but no one was struck. An officer was treated at the hospital for unknown minor injuries following the arrests Wednesday night, the report says.

Police have so far not revealed the specific robberies Berger and McGurk are charged with, but police have said recently that the following robberies were being investigating as part of a pattern:

• Jan. 8- Sayville Gas Station Robbed at Gunpoint
• Jan. 7- Gunman Robs Farmingville Dunkin’ Donuts
• Jan. 5- Bohemia
• Jan. 3- Police: Holbrook Gas Station Robbed at Gunpoint
• Jan. 2- Police: Huntington Station Gas Station Robbed at Gunpoint
• Jan. 1- Deer Park Gas Station Robbed
• Dec. 29- Commack Gas Station, Dunkin’ Donuts Robbed at Gunpoint an Hour Apart
• Dec. 26- St. James Gas Station Robbed at Gunpoint
• Dec. 25- West Hills
• Dec. 22- Armed Men Rob Deer Park Gas Station

SCPD Photos: Andrew Berger (L) and Matthew McGurk

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