Armed robber who 'stole $190K worth of luxury goods' in brazen daylight robbery of NYC Chanel store is arrested after he 'bragged on social media that he could open a small boutique' with the high-end handbags
A Brooklyn man has been arrested over an armed robbery at a Chanel store in New York City earlier this month after he allegedly bragged about the crime on social media.
Police nabbed Eric Spencer, 29, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Saturday, contending that he was part of a four-man gang that fleeced the designer store on February 2.
Shocking video from the daylight robbery, which occurred in the swanky SoHo neighborhood, shows the men enter the store before brazenly snatching bags and wallets off the shelves.
A female security guard claimed that one of the men allegedly lifted his shirt and flashed the butt of a pistol tucked into his waistband.
'Grab everything!' the same man reportedly yelled, before the gang fled the premises with $189,500 worth of goods.
The next day, Spencer purportedly posted to social media bragging about his designer loot, claiming that he had fleeced so much merchandise that he could 'open a small boutique'.
He flew to Florida sometime after the robbery.
Shocking video from the daylight robbery, which occurred in the swanky SoHo neighborhood, shows the men enter the store before brazenly snatching bags and wallets off the shelves
A female security guard claimed that one of the men allegedly lifted his shirt and flashed the butt of a pistol tucked into his waistband
Spencer's arrest was announced by the US Attorney's Office on Monday.
US Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a statement: 'Spencer allegedly threatened a store security guard by displaying the handle of his gun as he barked orders to his co-conspirators to ‘grab everything.’ Now the FBI and NYPD have grabbed Spencer, who is in federal custody and awaiting his day in court.'
Spencer has now been charged with one count of robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
He remains in custody in Florida, and will appear before a judge on Tuesday afternoon.
It is unclear when he will be extradited back to New York City.
The New York Post reports that Spencer has 32 prior arrests, including 15 felonies
The New York Post reports that Spencer has 32 prior arrests, including 15 felonies.
The NYPD believes the group who fleeced the Chanel store on February 2 is also involved at least 20 other robberies at high-end outlets in Manhattan that have occurred since September last year.
Spencer has not been charged with any of those robberies.
'These criminals are capitalizing off of wearing these face masks, so it's extremely difficult to identify who these individuals are,' NYPD Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said about the spate of robberies earlier this month.
The suspects have shown a pattern of rushing the store then fleeing in rental cars, sometimes with the license plates switched or removed, that are not easily tracked.
'They go into the store, snatch things off the shelves and speed off with a blatant disregard for everyone around them,' Harrison said.
The NYPD believes the group that fleeced the Chanel store on February 2 is also involved in at least 20 other robberies at high-end outlets in Manhattan that have occurred since September last year
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