2 Astoria Smoke Shops Robbed Within Hours Of Each Other: Police

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Two Astoria smoke shops were robbed at gunpoint within hours of each other on Sunday, according to police.

The first unfolded at Cloud Beast Vape Shop, on 35th Street near Ditmars Boulevard, where a 23-year-old man told police that a group of men had walked into the shop shortly before 2 p.m.

One of the men took out a gun, pushed the victim to the ground, and fled with $200 in cash and $2,500 in merchandise, police said. The men fled the shop and nobody was injured, but an investigation is ongoing, police said.

Police described the suspects as men standing about 5 feet 11 inches tall and 190 pounds, wearing dark clothing. Authorities did not say how many suspects there were.

Hours later, around 9 p.m., another person called 911 to report a robbery at Nirvana Vape and Cigar, on the corner of Broadway and 21st Street, police said.

The victim, a 30-year-old man, told police that a suspect had taken out a gun, demanded money, and made off with an unspecified amount of cash, authorities said.

Nobody was injured and no arrests have been made. Police described the suspect as a man about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 170 pounds, with long, braided black hair and dark-colored clothing.

Police gave no indication that the two robberies were linked.

As smoke shops proliferate across the city ahead of New York's widespread legalization of marijuana, some have worried that the stores could become robbery targets for their valuable products and use of cash transactions.