Person of interest in custody for bodega robberies after hazmat suit believed to be worn by suspect found in the Bronx

NEW YORK — A person of interest is in custody after a series of bodega robberies, including one that ended in a deadly shooting. 

Earlier, police sources told CBS2 the NYPD recovered a white hazmat suit believed to have been worn by the suspect during the robberies. 

The suspect is accused of murdering a bodega clerk on the Upper East Side last week. Investigators said the same suspect tried to rob a deli in the Bronx less than an hour later. 

Sources said investigators recovered the suit in a dumpster less than half a mile from the Bronx deli. Surveillance video reportedly shows the suspect throwing the hazmat suit away. 

NYPD took the suit to forensic labs for processing of prints and DNA. 

Police believe the suspect lives in the Bronx due to his apparent familiarity with the area.

The suspect may also be responsible for a number of other crimes, including robberies in Brooklyn on Feb. 25 and March 1. The suspect in those cases also wore a white hazmat suit, police said. 

Across the city, bodega workers have been growing fearful. 

“Even my customers are scared coming in here sometimes,” a deli manager told CBS2.

“I think we need some security at our doors, especially a store that’s open 24 hours,” a worker said. 

“It’s a real thing, trying to work behind the counter and don’t have a partition,” another worker said. 

Police have not released the new surveillance video. 

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.