
A daring robbery attempt was thwarted by quick-thinking eyewitnesses yesterday in Woodbury.
According to detectives, Anthony Q. Grant, of Inwood, ran up to the outside eating area at Butera’s Restaurant on Jericho Turnpike at 3:10 p.m. and grabbed the pocketbooks of two female diners. Grant took off southbound on Southwoods Road, with several eyewitnesses in hot pursuit, cops say. In an attempt to flee the Good Samaritans, cops say Grant tried to carjack a Cadillac stopped at a traffic light. When the driver refused to give up her vehicle, eyewitnesses caught up to Grant and pulled him from the car, cops say. The citizen enforcers held Grant at the scene until arresting officers arrived.
Both pocketbooks were recovered and there were no injuries reported.
Grant is charged with two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and second-degree reckless endangerment.