A 45-year-old woman has been accused of robbing three Long Island businesses over the last several days and going into at least one of the stores with a handgun in her purse, police say.
Patricia Hernandez, of Baldwin, was charged with three counts of robbery in connection to heists at two clothing stores and a bank in Nassau County, police say.
The first store, a Payless Shoes in Freeport, was hit on March 16, police say. In that robbery, police say the suspect gave a cashier a note demanding money. The victim complied, and told police that she saw a black handgun in the woman’s pocketbook as she was handing over cash. Afterward, the suspect left the store with the money.
Then, on Thursday, police say the suspect allegedly robbed a Nine West clothing store in Oceanside. That time, the robber put one hand in her purse and handed the cashier a note demanding money from the register. The suspect made off with cash along with a wallet and handbag and was seen getting into a black sedan.
The suspect also allegedly robbed a TD Bank in East Meadow on Sunday, again giving a clerk a note. After getting an undetermined amount of cash, the woman left in a dark sedan.
Nassau County investigators arrested Hernandez in Baldwin Tuesday evening, police say. She will be arraigned Wednesday in Hempstead.
It’s not clear if she has an attorney.
