By Peter A. Sutters Jr.
Gregory Golden, 39, of Brooklyn was arrested in the Dunkin Donuts at 109-62 Francis Lewis Blvd. in Queens Village after he tried to rob it for the second time in the same week and the fourth time in four months, according to police.The store's owner, Geeta Shukla, 47, of Long Island, said the man was familiar with many of the store's employees as he has acted similarly in each holdup.”He wears the same clothes and walks up like he's a customer before saying, 'I've got a gun in my pocket and I'm gonna shoot you if you don't open the register',” said Shukla.Shukla said that during the last two incidents the man ordered a muffin and coffee before demanding the cash.On Sunday, Shukla said the man was sitting outside the store early in the morning and an alert employee called the police, but Golden fled before they arrived. The owner said the man always struck during the day and she thought that was because mostly women work at that time and made easier targets. She said when the man came early in Sunday morning, the men on the night shift were still working, so he left.Shukla said Golden came back at 9:45 a.m., when only women were on duty, and ordered the muffin and coffee before announcing he had a gun in his pocket and wanted the cash. The employee behind the counter at the time was from one of Shukla's other stores and did not know the man or how to open the register, she said. But another store employee -who recognized Golden – told him the manager was in the office and had the key to the register, which was untrue, according to Shukla. The employee, who asked not to be named, led the man to the back of the store where two detectives from the 113th Precinct were looking over the surveillance tape from the robbery on Jan. 3.She shouted, “He's robbing us, he's robbing us” and Golden tried to flee, but was arrested inside the prep area of the store by the detectives, who searched the man and found a television remote control – not a gun – in his pocked, according to Shukla.Golden was charged with robbery, according to police. Shukla said she was happy that the man had been arrested because customers and employees were afraid to come into the store after it had been hit so many times. “I feel relieved – it was too much,” said Shukla. “I lost a lot of customers and one employee was going to quit.” Now that Golden has been arrested, she added, that employee is going to stay.Reach reporter Peter A. Sutters Jr. by e-mail at news@timesleger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300 Ext 173.
