Peppercorns Country Market Worker and Customers Prevent Gun-Point Robbery

Editor’s Note: The following information was supplied by the Southampton Town Police Department. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate guilt.

On Sunday at around 6:30 p.m., Southampton Police say a worker and customers at  in Speonk managed to distract a gun-toting man who they say was attempting to rob the store.

Police say after an investigation, it was learned that the gun was a BB gun that appeared to resemble a semi-automatic handgun.

Police say a 22-year-old man, who has been identified as Elvis Tinti-Chajon of Center Moriches, allegedly entered Peppercorns and told an employee that he was going to rob the deli; police say the man then brandished the BB gun.

Thinking quick, an employee and several customers managed to distract and escort Tinti-Chajon out of the deli without incident, police said.

Police said they found Tinti-Chajon a short time later and charged him with attempted robbery in the first degree, a felony; and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.

Tinti-Chajon is being held on $10,000 bail at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead.