Four thieves took inspiration from the movie “The Town” to carry out a sweeping crime spree at 61 delis, discount stores and pizzerias across the city. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.
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The group copied the hooded bank robbers in the box office hit by pouring bleach over ATM machines and cash registers in an attempt to erase their DNA from the businesses they hit.
The bandits finally faced justice for their 14-month crime wave after police tracked them down. They will be arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court on burglary charges.
The men are accused of using a “splash and dash” technique to douse stores in bleach to cover their tracks after stealing thousands of dollars, cops said.
They targeted 61 businesses in Brooklyn, starting in August last year. Most recently they robbed an Astoria candy store, in Queens, on Oct. 10.
The crooks made off with $217,000 in cash from ATMs and cash drawers, stole laptop computers and used miners’ headlamps to see in the dark and cut power to the businesses, officials say.
Police arrested three of the men at their homes. A fourth who was traced to a relative’s apartment jumped out a window and vaulted two fences before police caught him.
Amaurys Hernandez, 26, admitted he took part in 11 burglaries, Andy Lopez, 31, confessed to three.
Roy Gonzalez, 24, said he was involved in 24 of the crimes and Miguel Colon, 29, admitted to two.
A fifth and final suspect has also been identified.
He is currently in Rikers Island on an unrelated case involving criminal possession of a weapon, officials said.
