“We recognized him right away, we knew this was the suspect we were looking for,” said Police Officer Claudio Diaz of the 100 Precinct.
Two neighborhood coordination officers (NCO) stopped a robbery in progress and arrested a suspect wanted for a series of robberies in Far Rockaway. Police Officer Claudio Diaz and his partner Police Officer Felix Deleon of the 100 Precinct make it their business to be aware of local concerns and to know the residents and business owners in the community they serve.
Investigators in the precinct’s detective squad knew of the two neighborhood coordination officers’ community outreach and enlisted their aid to catch a robbery suspect wanted for five robberies that occurred over a five day period from March 18 to March 22. Police Officers Deleon and Diaz watched video surveillance from the area and spoke to local residents to find information about the recent crimes.
On Saturday, March 25, the two NCO’s were on patrol on Rockaway Beach Boulevard where they planned to speak with more community members about the robberies. As the duo approached 94 Street they observed a robbery in progress. As the two officers approached, they saw the 15-year-old suspect fumbling with his waistband and noticed the handle of a firearm. The officers placed him under arrest and recovered an imitation pistol. The suspect was charged with the robbery, the prior robberies, and criminal possession of a weapon.
