Astoria Coffee Shop Robbed At Gunpoint, Police And Employee Say

ASTORIA, QUEENS — Two men on a motorcycle robbed customers at gunpoint at an Astoria coffee shop Tuesday afternoon, according to police and an employee at the store.

The robbery at Under Pressure Espresso Bar, a popular cafe on 31st Street near 31st Avenue, unfolded at around 3:15 p.m., according to an NYPD spokesperson.

An employee who answered the phone at Under Pressure confirmed Wednesday morning that their shop had been the target.

"Two guys on a bike robbed two or three of our customers," the employee said, adding that the patrons had been outside the cafe, which has seating and tables along the sidewalk.

The men stole "some jewelry and some watches" from the customers, according to the employee. An NYPD spokesperson named a 65-year-old man and a 26-year-old man as the two robbery victims.

The men, who were wearing all-black clothing, hopped on a motorcycle and fled north along 31st Street after the robbery, the NYPD spokesperson said.

"It was like a 30-second deal," the employee said.

No injuries were reported — thanks in part to the response from the shop's customers and staff, the Under Pressure employee said.

"At least everyone is safe," he said. "All of our customers and us, we handled it very calm."

Police have not announced any arrests and had no further description of the suspects, but said an investigation is ongoing.

Reports of crime have risen this year compared to 2021 in the police precinct that covers Astoria — with nearly all categories seeing a rise except for murder and rape, according to NYPD statistics.

Still, violent crime levels in Astoria and across the city remain well below where they stood as recently as the early 2000s.