Deli Worker Risks Life Defending Store from Armed Robbers

Bodega worker Danny Caba is the latest in a long line of retail employees who inexplicably risk their lives to protect their bosses' profits from thieves. At 7:15 a.m. on Saturday morning two men—one wearing a black mask and bullet-proof vest and carrying a .40-caliber Glock loaded with 12 rounds—entered the Lantigua deli at 30-74 14th St. in Astoria, forcing employees in the back of the store to lie on their stomachs and quickly moving behind the counter, where they encountered Caba, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who just wasn't having it. Oh hell, no.

Ignoring their orders to lie down, Caba fought back, managing to wrest the gun from one of the men. Seeing Caba gain the upper hand, manager Louis Colon joined in and helped neutralize the robber—despite a bullet discharging and a bottle getting smashed over Caba's head (requiring seven stitches). His accomplice ran to a getaway car, while Caba and Colon proceeded to beat and pistol-whip the suspect, whom police identify as Jose Cruz, 24, of Brooklyn. (You can see the whole thing on the surveillance video below.)

Caba tells the Post, "I was a little bit scared, but I wasn’t thinking at the moment. When I got hit, that made me more strong. I didn’t want to die. No one wants to die... I was a little scared, but I had to keep going. I’m not going to fight to fail—I fight to win." As a reward for his courageous victory, we can only assume the deli's owner gave Caba a nice percentage of the day's receipts, a fat raise, a generous pension, health and dental insurance, three weeks paid vacation, and paternity leave—just like gas station clerk who grabbed a shotgun from a robber, or the convenience store employee who took an ax to a thief, or the 91-year-old cashier who tried to slap a robber.

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By John Del Signore in News on June 2, 2010 8:57 AM

Comments [rss]

PorkJuiceMilkshake

FOCK outta here, my life would already suck working in a deli the hell am I risking my ass for some change? HERE TAKE IT!

rammyh

I'd be willing to bet that it was the command to lay on the floor that freaked Danny out - it would've petrified me and made me think I was about to be executed.

The same way that if you're carjacked or robbed in a parking lot and the bad guy tells you to get in the car - NEVER, EVER GET IN THE CAR. Better they beat the shit out of you or shoot you there in the garage or what have you than let the bad guy drive you off to God knows where.

Wza

Give those men a Nutcracker!

hotstepper

now that's some damn fine pistol-whipping son!

akachris

I can't tell from either the surveillance video or the NYP story but was the 2nd robber armed too?

Also just from previous experiences, it is very different thinking how you would act in a fight and actually fighting. I can't imagine how I would react if a firearm was involved.

BDS=(Boycott.Divest.Sanction)

it looked like the co-worker took way too long before he decided to jump in.

bully for this guy for not being a lamb.

consider this though, if it had it not worked out, nearly everyone would be saying 'he shouldn't have resisted'.

Tower18

As a reward for his courageous victory, we can only assume the deli's owner gave Caba a nice percentage of the day's receipts, a fat raise, a generous pension, health and dental insurance, three weeks paid vacation, and paternity leave

Sadly, if he worked at the major retail chain where I worked in college, his reward would be getting fired. That's right, most chain retailers will fire you if you stand up to a robber or shoplifter.

schadenfreudian mensch

Only because most time trying to be a hero get not only you killed but your coworkers and/or customers. And no amount of money is worth that.

valeriob

...but, Do you see my legs in the mirror?

RDR105

lol!

Best add ever!

freddynyc

Why is the store manager (with the baseball cap) just standing there watching his fellow employee being pummeled for a while before lending him a hand? Hmmm...

ProcedureTurn

brave guy. thats one heck of a story to tell.

bklynbagel

more reason why you shouldn't fuck with dominicans.. crazy!

kazubes

If he thought his life was in danger and went into adrenaline mode thats one thing, fighting off the robbers over a few hundred dollars and some Pine-sol is pretty stupid though!

Cautious Pessimist

When these people do this, I don't think they're doing it because they want to stop these guys from taking a few hundred bucks. I think they do it because they have a job, they're working hard trying to provide for themselves and maybe a family, and in comes some piece of shit thug who thinks he can just take what he wants. That kind of thing would drive some people to just lose it and do exactly what this guy did.

I'm glad he won and didn't end up in the morgue.