Police investigate possible connection of Jake's 58, BP gas station robberies

Investigators are trying to determine if two apparent armed robberies about 18½ miles apart Monday night in Suffolk County are related.

Suffolk police said the first robbery occurred at 11:05 p.m. in the parking lot of Jake's 58 Hotel & Casino in Islandia. A second robbery took place at 11:55 p.m. at a BP gas station on Route 25A in Rocky Point, authorities said. Police later found an abandoned black pickup truck in Medford believed to have been used in both robberies.

Investigators combed through the truck and surveillance footage for evidence.

In the first robbery, police said, a man approached a woman in the Jake's 58 parking lot, located at 3645 Express Dr. N., displayed what appeared to be a handgun and demanded cash. The woman complied and the assailant then jumped into a black pickup driven by a second person and fled, police said.

About 50 minutes later, police said, a black pickup truck stopped nearly 18½ miles away at the full-service gas pump at the BP at 367 Rte. 25A. Police said the driver displayed what appeared to be a handgun, demanded cash from the attendant and fled.

It was not immediately clear if a second person also was at that scene.

Police recovered the abandoned pickup a short time later. The two robberies remain under investigation and detectives are trying to determine if they are connected, police said.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”