Juan Carlos Ortiz, 25, of Hicksville, was arrested in two...

Juan Carlos Ortiz, 25, of Hicksville, was arrested in two robberies, one burglary, police said Thursday. Credit: NCPD

A Hicksville man has been charged in connection with two robberies and a burglary in the hamlet, Nassau County police said Thursday.

Juan Carlos Ortiz, 25, of Burkland Lane, was arrested Thursday when he was seen in the vicinity of South Broadway in Hicksville “smoking what appeared to be crack cocaine from a clear glass pipe.”

Police said that when detectives approached Ortiz he fled, disposing of a mask and the pipe. After a brief foot chase he was arrested, police said, and the mask and pipe were recovered.

Ortiz wore a mask during some of the crimes, police said.

Following an investigation police said it was determined that Ortiz was responsible for the following burglary and two robberies:

On Jan. 24 at 12:47 a.m. Ortiz broke a window and entered a Capital One bank on Broadway but nothing was stolen.

On March 4 at 8:15 p.m. Ortiz went into the Puff N Stuff smoke shop on Jerusalem Avenue and demanded money. The 67-year-old male employee complied and gave Ortiz an undetermined amount of cash.

On April 16 at 9:25 p.m. Ortiz, flashing a knife, entered JM Travel and Multiservice on East Marie Street and pushed a 54-year-old female employee to the ground and stole her cash.

Police said the victim suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Ortiz is being charged with first- and third-degree robbery, third degree burglary and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was scheduled for arraignment Thursday at First District Court in Hempstead.

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