Man robbed Massapequa store, hit cop: police

Cops Saturday arrested a suspected thief who they say stole from a Burlington Coat Factory store in Massapequa and punched an off-duty cop in the head to make a getaway.

The suspect, Tyrone Stevens, 48, of 30 E. 11th St. in Huntington Station, was sneaking out of the store with $1,467.34 worth of clothing in a shopping cart on Wednesday afternoon when the off-duty cop approached him, Nassau County police said.

After the cop asked about the merchandise, the man hit him.

"The defendant continued to punch and kick the officer and then fled into an awaiting vehicle," police spokeswoman Officer Mary Verna said in a statement.

Police broadcast a description of the vehicle, and he was tracked down and arrested Saturday in Deer Park.

The injured officer was treated and released. Stevens will be arraigned Sunday on charges of robbery and assault.