A gunman who flashed a weapon inside a Manhattan smoke shop escaped with $2,000 in cash before vanishing into the subway system Thursday afternoon, police said.
The robbery unfolded around 2:24 p.m. At Rainbow Smoke Shop, located at 378 Sixth Ave. In the affluent West Village neighborhood, according to the NYPD. The suspect entered the store, pulled out a gun, and thrust a bag toward the cashier while demanding money, authorities said.
After collecting the cash, the thief darted out of the shop and fled into the nearby West 4th Street subway station, police said. He then headed uptown toward 42nd Street, according to authorities.
The NYPD released surveillance images Friday showing the wanted man. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, black pants and black sneakers while carrying a brown backpack, according to the images.
Police have asked anyone with information about the robbery to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. Spanish-speaking tipsters can call 1-888-57-PISTA, authorities said. The public can also submit tips through the Crime Stoppers website or on X at @NYPDTips.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not provided additional details about the suspect’s identity or whether anyone was injured during the holdup.
The West Village, known for its historic brownstones and high-end retail, sits among Manhattan’s most expensive residential enclaves. Thursday’s broad daylight robbery struck a commercial corridor that draws steady foot traffic from both neighborhood residents and visitors.
Rainbow Smoke Shop occupies a storefront along Sixth Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares cutting through the neighborhood’s grid of quieter side streets. The shop sits roughly two blocks from the West 4th Street-Washington Square subway station, a major transfer point connecting multiple train lines across Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The suspect’s escape route into that same station and uptown trajectory suggests familiarity with the transit network, though police have not characterized him as a repeat offender.
The NYPD continues to seek public assistance in identifying the gunman.