Duo Robs Astoria Verizon Store, Punches Employee: NYPD

ASTORIA, QUEENS -- Cops are searching for two thieves who stole a pricey cell phone from a Verizon store in Astoria and punched an employee who tried to stop them.

The duo first appeared friendly when they sauntered into the Verizon Wireless at 22-31 31st St. on April 18, browsing the display phones while chatting with employees just before 1 p.m. , police said.

But that changed when one of the men yanked a $1,000 display phone from its case and the other held the door open for him to escape, cops said.

A 25-year-old employee who tried to block them from leaving the store was clocked in the face by one of the men before they escaped down 31st Street toward 23rd Avenue with the cell phone, police said.

The NYPD released surveillance photos of the men estimated to be in their early 20s. One, around 5-foot-8 and weighing around 150 pounds, was last seen wearing a green jacket and blue jeans. The other, around 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds, was last seen wearing all dark clothes.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

(Lead photo via NYPD)