Man pistol-whipped, robbed in New Cassel

A robbery victim's friends scared off a trio of bandits in New Cassel, but not before the thugs had pistol-whipped the victim, rifled through his pockets and stolen his belongings, Nassau County police said.

The attack happened near Grand Boulevard and Covert Lane about 12:30 a.m. on Saturday as the 52-year-old man was walking home from his job, a police spokeswoman said.

Out of nowhere came the three men: One brandished the handgun, demanded money and struck the victim in the face with the gun, causing him to fall to the ground. Then all three went through his pockets and found and stole a cellphone and wallet containing cash.

At one point during the robbery the two friends walking with the man interrupted and shooed the trio away. One of the assailants dropped a gun, which turned out to be an imitation. The bandits managed to flee with a cellphone and wallet, police said.

Neither the victim nor the friends were named, and police did not say how much money the robbers stole.

The pistol-whipping injured the victim's face but he refused medical treatment.

Investigators at the Williston Park-based Third Detective Squad, which has the case, asked anyone with information to call the police department hotline: 800-244-TIPS.