The gutsy actions of a clerk during an armed robbery led to tighter security at a Peekskill marijuana store last week. In the wake of the August 9 robbery at Papi’s Secret Stash, Eric Sanchez hired a guard and is installing a buzzer system to get into his business at 1014 Main Street between RameNesque restaurant and Persephone’s Pearl.
The 39-year-old owner of the shop that sells cannabis and accessories said he realized those measures were necessary after the robbery when his female clerk tussled with the robber who brandished a knife. The 37-year-old clerk, who requested that her name not be published, spoke with the Herald two days after the incident.
“It wasn’t like what you see in the movies, he didn’t have a knife at my face,” said the woman.
Police arrested Pedro Cabral, 37, of Peekskill a short time later according to Lt. Adam Renwick of the Peekskill police department. Cabral was arrested at a residence he is known to frequent, said Renwick. Cabral was held overnight at the Peekskill police station and was arraigned in Peekskill City Court the next day where he was charged with robbery in the first degree, assault in the second degree, criminal mischief in the third degree and criminal possession in the third degree. He was remanded to Westchester County Jail and is due back in Peekskill Court on Thursday, August 24 at 11 a.m. where he will be represented by Legal Aid of Westchester.
Papi’s Secret Stash, which opened in October, is selling marijuana grown at Sanchez’ farm in Holmes, NY along with paraphernalia such as apparel, artwork, ash trays, torches and glass pieces. The business is open until 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday. The night of the robbery, Sanchez’ clerk, who was alone in the store, said a customer came in and asked to see certain product. She left the counter to go to the back where it’s stored and returned with the product in hand.
She said he was smelling the product as another person walked in and asked if anyone spoke Spanish. The customer acknowledged that he spoke Spanish and began translating for the person who was asking if the store did pick up and delivery. When the clerk explained that the shop wasn’t a UPS or post office, the person left. The clerk thanked the customer for translating and said she didn’t realize he spoke Spanish. He said he was from the Dominican Republic. He then asked to see cheaper weed, she said.
She went to the back of the store, which is separated from the front of the shop by a large black curtain, and she realized he followed her there. He showed her a knife he had in his hand. He pointed a basic kitchen knife to a reusable LaPlacita bag that he held in his other hand. “I was stunned,” said the clerk. “Give me all the weed,” he told her two times.
The clerk, who was wearing glasses and is 4’11” said the customer was about 6’1”. He put his hand over her mouth and pushed her to the ground. ‘I’m on the floor in the area where we store the weed and I see that he is stuffing marijuana into his bag.” She ran out and hit the silent alarm in the front of the shop that connects to the police department. The area also houses a shotgun.
She grabbed the shotgun, not intending to shoot it, and headed to the small area behind the curtain in front of where the weed was stored. She had the shotgun in her hand and told him to get out of the store. “You’re gonna shoot me?” he said to her. They got into a tussle and she was knocked to the ground where her glasses fell off. Once she was on the ground, he went back to the area where the weed is stored. “I ran out the front door screaming for someone to call 911 and went into RameNesque.”
Once inside RameNesque, the clerk remembered she had the keys to the store in her pocket and ran back to lock the door. She returned to the entryway of RameNesque and within ten to 15 seconds heard glass breaking. Shortly after that the police arrived and she told them she wasn’t sure if he was inside or not. They sent a smoke bomb into the store and ascertained that he was not in the building.
In speaking to the Herald a few days after the incident she said she ‘felt so violated,” and that’s why she picked up the shotgun, “Maybe I could scare him away,” she said she thought, noting her small size compared to him. “I did what I could.”
The entire exchange took place within ten minutes. After a day off she was back at the shop working her shift, but this time with a security guard and a buzzer installed at the front.
