2 arrested in Roosevelt chain-snatching

A witness followed two suspects in a Roosevelt robbery and then pointed out one of them to responding officers, Nassau County police said Wednesday.

First Squad detectives said they arrested both men, Maliq Stevenson, 18, and Raishaun Wiggins, 16, on second-degree robbery charges as suspects in the robbery and assault of a man early Monday in front of a supermarket.

The victim, 28, was in front of Western Beef at 332 Nassau Rd., at 10:20 a.m. when Stevenson and Wiggins approached him, police said.

Stevenson is suspected of punching the man in the face and taking two silver chains from the man's neck as Wiggins allegedly acted as a lookout, police said.

The two men then ran off, but a witness who was in his car in the parking lot of the market followed both suspects and called police.

The witness told police Wiggins was on Park and Lakewood avenues, where he was identified as a suspect and arrested without incident, police said.

A subsequent investigation led detectives to Stevenson, who was arrested Tuesday at his home, police said.

One of the two chains stolen from the victim was recovered from a Hempstead jewelry store where Stevenson is suspected of selling it for cash, police said.

Wiggins, of 72 Monroe Ave., Roosevelt, was arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Hempstead and was remanded on bail of $25,000, cash or bond. He is scheduled to return to court Thursday.

Stevenson, of 62 Park Ave., Roosevelt, is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday.