NEW HAVEN — Two young men had successfully robbed the Pizza Heaven II restaurant at 410 Blake St. shortly before midnight Friday, but got even more greedy.
Rather than leave with the money they’d taken from the cash register and owner Erdol Sahin’s pocket, they demanded more. The masked men, one tall and skinny and holding a rifle, the other shorter and of average build, ordered Sahin to his office.
As Sahin backed into his office, he grabbed his own gun, surprising the tall skinny guy with the rifle, who then fell backward and dropped the rifle.
“Mr. Sahin took advantage of the fumble and grabbed the robber’s rifle,” explained New Haven police Officer David Hartman. “When he realized it was only a pellet rifle, he chased the two robbers out of the store swinging it at them.”
The robbers outran Sahin, but about 20 minutes later were caught by Officers Ronald Ferrante, Huey Young and Matthew Borges in front of one of the robber’s homes on Rock Creek Road. The pair was stopped and identified by the victims.
Carmine Watkins, 18, of Rock Creek Road and his 17-year-old accomplice, also of Rock Creek Road, were charged with first-degree robbery, second-degree larceny and conspiracy.
Story by David Owens, Hartford Courant; video by Louisa Moller, Fox CT