Cops: Officer foils hammer-wielding robber

A Sixth Precinct officer on routine patrol Wednesday foiled an attempted robbery of a Coram convenience store by a hammer-wielding man, Suffolk County police said.

Officer Steven Pancir saw a robbery in progress at about 4:45 a.m. at the 7-Eleven store at 33 Middle Country Rd., police said.

Christopher Degennaro, 26, of Rocky Point, had entered the store with a hammer and ordered the cashier to the ground.

Degennaro went to the cash register, but Pancir entered the store and arrested him, police said.

Degennaro is charged with first-degree attempted robbery and is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip.