Two men have been accused of robbing three Long Island stores and trying to rob three more in the past week until authorities said they were caught by an off-duty police officer.
Suffolk County police arrested Thomas Leahey, 28, of Ronkonkoma, and 25-year-old Joseph Salvia of Commack are facing six charges each: three counts of robbery and three counts of attempted robbery.
Leahey and Salvia had allegedly just tried to rob Cool Monkey Desserts in Stony Brook on Monday night, when an off-duty Nassau County police officer walked in, Suffolk police said. The employees alerted the officer, who followed the suspects and helped Suffolk police apprehend the duo, police said.
Investigators linked Leahey and Salvia to the robberies of Beach Bum Tanning in Commack on Jan. 28, Subway in Hauppauge on Jan. 29 and Tropical Smoothie Café in Elwood on Feb. 1, police said.
The duo also allegedly tried to rob the Quiznos in Bohemia on Feb. 2 and Dunkin Donuts in Smithtown on Feb. 1.
Leahey and Salvia were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip.
