WATCH: Thugs Disguised as NYPD Rob Brooklyn Bodega — Community Demands Action as Fake Cops Terrorize Neighborhood

Brooklyn — A brazen and violent robbery at a Bedford-Stuyvesant deli has ignited outrage after surveillance footage showed four armed suspects dressed as NYPD officers tying up and assaulting an employee before making off with stolen cash and lottery tickets.

The incident occurred early Sunday morning at the Tajuken Deli on Marcus Garvey Boulevard. Surveillance video reveals the suspects wearing dark jackets and hats emblazoned with “NYPD” and “NYPD Police” in bold white letters. Yet, curiously, the official NYPD statement made no mention of the perpetrators’ disturbing impersonation of law enforcement.

In the footage, one man is seen being tied up and dragged across the floor like a piece of meat. The suspects — fully armed and dressed like police — are caught darting through the store’s aisles before escaping in a van with a bag full of loot.

“This wasn’t just a robbery — it was an act of psychological warfare against an entire community,” said Radhamés Rodríguez, President of the United Bodegas of America (UBA), which is now offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. “These cowards dressed like our heroes — NYPD officers — to rob, terrorize, and traumatize innocent people. The system must stop protecting criminals and start protecting us.”

UBA spokesperson Fernando Mateo was even more direct, blaming New York’s broken bail reform laws for emboldening repeat offenders and turning bodegas into targets. “If we had panic buttons, these fake cops would be behind bars today,” Mateo said. “Enough is enough. We demand action. Governor Hochul must deliver the $5 million she promised for panic button installations in high-crime areas.”

This isn’t an isolated incident — it’s the latest in a troubling trend where small, family-owned bodegas bear the brunt of the city’s leniency on crime. What makes this case especially chilling is the suspects’ calculated use of NYPD gear, blurring the line between authority and threat.

The robbery not only underscores the vulnerability of New York’s essential small businesses but also raises urgent questions about trust, safety, and leadership in a city where criminals feel bold enough to dress like cops.

Police are urging anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or submit tips anonymously online or through @NYPDTips on Twitter. But the community isn’t waiting — they’re demanding reforms, security funding, and accountability, before the next violent group of impersonators strikes again.