Increased police patrols on Lark St. after robbery
Surveillance cameras captured video of a robbery that happened last Saturday at a Lark Street business. Police said the suspect displayed, what is believed to have been, a handgun.
ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Surveillance cameras captured video of a robbery that happened last Saturday at a Lark Street business. Police said the suspect displayed, what is believed to have been, a handgun.
The video shows a man entering the building, demanding money from the cashier at the Lark St. Poke Bar. The employee hands over cash to the suspect. The owners said he made off with $500.
Lark Street business owners tell NEWS10 they’re glad to see the incident prompting more police presence in the area.
“And now with some extra attention, it’s going to be even safer. The street is poised and ready for a great summer. We have a lot of things happening down here with Tulip Fest and Cinco de Mayo and Art on Lark,” said President of Downtown Albany’s Business Improvement District Patrick Noonan.
He said they are in constant communication with the Albany Police Department.
“Incidents that happen, they happen all over parts of the city. They happen in every city. Albany is no different, Lark Street is no different,” said Noonan.
The Lark Street Infrastructure Project will officially be finished soon, Noonan said, possibly this week. He reassures everyone safety concerns are being addressed.
“The whole idea was to draw people down here and have them be safe. You know, incidents happen, we can’t stop that but we want folks to know that when they come down here they are going to be taken care of and there are eyes on the street,” said Noonan.
He said crews are working on final touches, installing tree surrounds, but the lights should be turned on any day now.
“We are waiting to literally flip the switch on the overhead lights,” said Noonan. “It’s a part of the bigger project – the redevelopment project – which is to have more eyeballs, more lights, more visibility, draw more attention to the street.”
Albany Police said this is an active and ongoing larceny investigation.
The crime is considered a felony and is punishable by no less than five years and up to 25 years in state prison, with fines ranging from $1,000 to $15,000.
If you have any information on the incident, contact the Albany Police.