NEW YORK (WPIX/CNN) - A mother and her two adult children have been locked up for committing knife-point robberies at Long Island businesses.
“Essentially, we have here three individuals - brother, sister and mother - involved in pattern robbery,” said Suffolk County Police Commissioner Edward Webber.
There were seven robberies altogether, throughout Suffolk County - at Dunkin' Donuts, Carvel, Dollar Tree and Family Dollar locations.
It started on Sept. 23, with the last robbery happening on Sunday night, and ending in the arrests of 55-year-old Deborah Salvatore, her son, 25-year-old Rick Mascia and her daughter, 31-year-old Lauren Mascia.
Investigators say Laura Mascia was at the center of the robberies, while her brother and mother served as the getaway drivers.
“She was the primary perpetrator,” Webber said of Laura Mascia. “She’d go in to purport to act like she’s purchasing items, brandish a knife and demand cash.”
Webber said detectives were onto the trio and caught them in the act Sunday. He said no one was hurt in any of the robberies.
“In Suffolk County, if you commit crimes we will catch you, and we will hold you responsible,” he said.
Police say the family committed these crimes to feed their drug addictions. Salvatore is charged with one count robbery and her children are charged with six counts of first-degree robbery.
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