An elderly jeweler from Brooklyn, New York was brutally beaten by two bandits during a $100,000 robbery and as at Wednesday, January 4, was fighting for his life, as the search for the fugitive suspects continues.
Manny Cohen, 79, the father of three and grandfather of nine, remained hospitalized and unconscious from the Dec. 30 attack inside Roxy Jewelry on Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn. He was working alone in the shop when the thieves struck around 5:30 p.m. Police said the two men escaped with more than $100,000 in merchandise, with no arrests made in the case.
“These thugs, they went in there with the intention to kill him,” the victim’s son, Shawn told the Daily News.
“They thought they killed him. They didn’t have any issue with beating an [old man] to death.”
“We are all devastated. My father was a healthy 79-year-old. He was a health freak. He was working from morning to evening, just to maintain his mental sharpness. It’s devastating for us.”
The son, still reeling from the attack, said the family believes this was not the first time the suspects targeted the man, adding there were additional prior incidents.
“We felt very unsafe,” he said.
“For the past few years, there’s been attempted robberies … Whether it’s a grab-and-go, confrontation, he refused to give up. He refused to stop working.”
The son revealed how an ‘upcoming’ robber carrying a large rock walked into the store around Thanksgiving in an attempted robbery that left the979-year-Old man bleeding from the head. He said the earlier attack was possibly done by the same people wanted for the pre-New Year robbery and assault.
“My understanding is someone who is brave enough to do this kind of crime, it’s not a first-time thief. Probably known to law enforcement.” Shawn said
He further stated that the family’s attention remained on their patriarch’s recovery, “Right now, the focus is health.” he concluded