Police: Holbrook man tried to rob Subway store

A Holbrook man was arrested Tuesday shortly after he tried to rob a Subway fast food store in the Islandia Shopping Center at gunpoint, Suffolk police said in a news release.

Patrick Piccola, 23, entered the store at 1750 Veterans Memorial Hwy. at about 6:35 p.m. and pointed what police said appeared to be a gun at a clerk and demanded money.

He fled empty-handed and went inside a 7-Eleven, located at the same shopping center, where an employee thought he acted "suspicious," police said. Officers, who surrounded the shopping center, were alerted and arrested Piccola.

Piccola, of 301 Muriel St., was charged with first-degree attempted robbery and possession of a hypodermic instrument. He is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Wednesday.