A Bronx man has been arrested for allegedly trying to rob two people in Elmont.
According to Nassau County Fifth Squad detectives, on August 10 at 12:15 p.m., Joshua Rodriguez, 36, of 594 Eagle Avenue, was in the parking lot of T.J. Maxx, located at 1445 Hempstead Turnpike, when he approached a 46-year-old male victim and allegedly attempted to grab his cellphone and a necklace he was wearing. The victim called 911 and Rodriguez went to a nearby parking lot.
Rodriguez then approached a 62-year-old female victim and allegedly attempted to grab her car keys, which were attached to a keychain wrapped around her wrist. Police arrived and located the defendant, who was now running eastbound on Hempstead Turnpike. Officers caught up to Rodriguez, and, after he resisted arrest, he was placed into custody without any further incident. Rodriguez was also allegedly found to be in possession of a substance believed to be crack cocaine.
Police charged Rodriguez with two counts of Attempted Robbery in the Third Degree, two counts of Resisting Arrest, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree and Disorderly Conduct. He was scheduled to be arraigned on August 11 at First District Court in Hempstead.