Off-duty detective hears ‘Robbery!’ in Cantonese and rushes to stop Chinatown jewellery thief
Detective Patrick Lee was on his way to work when he heard a commotion at a Canal St. diamond store and came to the rescue, police say.
BY THOMAS TRACY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
PUBLISHED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013, 11:54 AM
UPDATED: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2013, 1:45 AM
Detective Patrick Lee was on his way to work when he heard a witness scream, 'Robbery!' in his parents' native tongue.
In any language, the message is “you’re busted.”
A Manhattan detective fluent in Cantonese thwarted a high-stakes jewelry heist Tuesday when he heard a witness scream, “Robbery! Robbery!” in his parents’ native tongue, officials said.
Detective Patrick Lee was on his way to work and had just parked his car on Canal St. near Elizabeth St. in Chinatown about 4:15 p.m. when he saw a commotion in front of Canal Diamonds International, police said.
“I was almost past the store when I heard, ‘Dageep! Dageep!’ numerous times,” said Lee. “That’s Cantonese for ‘robbery.’ Several employees started running out of the store — that’s universal for something’s wrong.”
The NYPD veteran ran into the jewelry store and spotted a 25-year-old man leaning over a jewelry display case.
The 25-year-old thief had a.40-caliber Glock pistol in one hand and 18 gold chains in the other, NYPD says.
The thief had a .40-caliber Glock pistol in one hand and 18 gold chains in the other, Lee said.
“When he turned to face me, I said, ‘Police, don’t move,’ and ordered him to drop the weapon,” said Lee. “It took three commands, but thank God he did. He dropped the weapon and laid down belly-first on the floor.”
Lee arrested the thief — identified as Eduardo Olmedo — without incident.
Witnesses later told Lee that Olmedo came in pretending to be shopping for a bracelet. When a worker went to help him, he pulled a gun from his waistband. He was charged with robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, officials said.
Lee said he was born and raised in the Bronx, but learned Cantonese from his immigrant parents.
“Over the years, I picked it up,” he said. “New York City is a melting pot.”
