Man Arrested After Smashing Windows At UES CVS: Police

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A shoplifter went on a rampage after his attempt to steal from a neighborhood CVS store was foiled, according to police, smashing several windows and a person in the hand with a hammer.

Christian Vazquez, 38, was arrested by officers from the 19th Precinct minutes after his violent outburst and charged with criminal mischief and criminal possession of a weapon, police said, who also said he appears to currently be homeless.

At around 3:50 p.m. on Thursday, Vazquez entered a CVS on the corner of East 84th Street and Lexington Avenue and attempted to walk out with several items from the store, police said.

An employee and another person, who had called the police, stopped the thief and were able to retrieve the goods he was attempting to steal, according to officials.

Vazquez then pulled out a hammer and struck a person in the hand, cops say, who did not detail if any injuries were suffered.

Once outside, Vazquez then smashed several windows of the store — as seen in a dramatic video published by news site Upper East Site —where onlookers expressed their disbelief.

“What the f--- is wrong with you?” one woman yells. "You should bleed to death," she added.

He then fled north on Lexington Avenue, but police were able to cuff him by 4 p.m. — only 10 minutes after they were first called, officials said.

Prior to the attempted theft, Vazquez had been harassing people outside of the store, according to the New York Post.

Vazquez's smashing totaled at least $2,500 in damage, according to police.