Cops: 2 who impeded witness charged in robbery

Two men who police said impeded a witness from following a trio of armed robbers fleeing a stickup in Rockville Centre Thursday were arrested in Hempstead and charged with a different robbery -- the holdup of a West Hempstead store the previous day.

Nassau County police said they're still searching for the trio who used a long-barreled revolver to rob the Radio Shack on Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre at about 2:15 p.m. Thursday, forcing employees to the rear of the store.

Jamar Parker, 28, of 200 Cornell S., Hempstead, and KaJuan Crawley, 25, of 314 Halsey St., Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, were linked to the armed robbery at the T-Mobile on Hempstead Turnpike Wednesday -- a robbery that saw two suspects use a long-barreled revolver, police said.

Police said Parker and Crawley were arrested by First Precinct officers near the intersection of Fulton Avenue and North Franklin Avenue not long after the Rockville Centre robbery Thursday. They said the two men were in a yellow 2012 Chevrolet Camaro that "continually impeded and blocked" the car of a witness who tried to follow the getaway vehicle from the scene of the Radio Shack holdup.

In that robbery, police said, three men entered the store, at least one carrying a gun, announced the robbery, forced employees to the rear of the store -- then stole cellphones, gaming systems and iPad tablet computers. The trio then fled into a light-colored older model sport utility vehicle with Florida license plates.

That was the vehicle being pursued by the witness when Parker and Crawley interfered with that pursuit, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the robberies to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS. All calls will remain confidential.

Parker and Crawley are scheduled for arraignment Friday in First District Court in Hempstead, police said.