Cops: 3 teens robbed group of teens in mall parking lot

A group of teens was robbed at gunpoint at the Roosevelt Field parking lot on Friday night and, police said, one of the robbery victims is among three teens later charged in the crime.

Nassau police said two boys, ages 16 and 17, approached five people ranging in age from 17 to 19 around 8:10 p.m. as they were getting out of a blue BMW 330i at the Garden City mall on Old Country Road.

After ordering the group to hand over all their valuables, the pair of robbers sped away in the BMW, police said in a statement.

A short time later the pair who took off in the BMW crashed with a Hyundai on the Meadowbrook Parkway. The Hyundai's 50-year-old male driver was taken by ambulance to a hospital to be treated for injuries suffered in the crash.

Police arrested two teens after the crash. Police said they later arrested a 17-year-old who was among the parking lot victims for helping to plan the robbery.

None of the three robbers was identified because they are juveniles. The first two teens were charged with first degree robbery, criminal possession of a weapon and use of a firearm and conspiracy. The 17-year-old also was charged with reckless endangerment.

The 17-year-old who helped to plan the robbery was charged with robbery, criminal use of a firearm and conspiracy, police said.

All three were set to be arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead.

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.