Suffolk man charged with robbery, kidnapping

An armed robber upset that his victims only had $2 forced them to drive him to a gas station to commit another robbery, Suffolk police said Saturday.

Michael Leto, 19, whom police described as homeless, had robbed two people at Taco Bell in Nesconset on Thursday, police said.

Police said Leto became enraged when the victims only had $2. Leto, armed with a handgun, forced the victims to drive him to pick up his girlfriend and then to a Getty gas station in Central Islip, police said.

Leto forced one victim to "assist him in the armed robbery of the station," police said in a news release.

Officers Brian Grenz and Ryan Neems of the Third Precinct, arrested Leto and his girlfriend, Catherine Andes, of Nesconset, Friday at about 4 p.m. at the Townhouse Motor Inn in Smithtown, police said.

A police report didn't indicate how the officers found Leto and Andes.

The victims were let go near a gas station in Central Islip, police said.

Police said Leto admitted to the officers that he robbed the gas station in Central Islip as well as committed another robbery on Wednesday at a Sunoco gas station in Smithtown.

Police charged Leto with kidnapping, menacing and robbery. He had two outstanding warrants for burglary and possession of stolen property, police said. Andes was charged with kidnapping and robbery. Both were held overnight and were awaiting arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip.