A robber tried to knock over a Brooklyn laundry, but couldn’t get away clean, thanks to the fearless store owner and two court officers who hung him out to dry, cops said yesterday.
Court officers Leroy Davis and Frank Lawler, assigned to the Red Hook Community Justice Center, nabbed Edward Rodriguez, 42, as he fled from the laundry on Van Brundt Street in the Red Hook section at 9:30 a.m.
The dirty work began when Rodriguez walked into the laundry and asked to buy soap.
“He said, ‘I’m looking to buy some suds.’ But when I turned around to get him the suds, he pulled out a gun,” said the laundry owner, whose name is being withheld by The Post.
“He hit me twice with the gun and ordered me into the back. He was going to tie me up to rob me.
“I punched him and grabbed the gun, but he wouldn’t let go of it. I started screaming, ‘He’s got a gun! He’s got a gun!’ A guy outside heard me and came in and we [subdued] the guy.”
The gunman managed to wiggle free and ran towards the nearby court on Visitation Place in a bid to blend in with the crowd. The laundry owner stayed on his tail, attempting to alert pedestrians to get help, officials said.
Davis and Lawler, who were stationed outside the courthouse, saw the commotion and noticed Rodriguez heading straight toward them, weapon still in hand.
Rodriguez spotted the lawmen eyeballing him and did a quick about-face, police said.
As he tried to escape, he threw his weapon, a .25-caliber handgun, under a parked car, but Davis immediately retrieved the evidence.
Meanwhile, Lawler continued chasing Rodriguez and finally tackled him two blocks away.
As Lawler struggled with Rodriguez, a small army of court officers arrived and helped subdue the suspect.
Charges against Rodriguez, of Union Street in Park Slope, are pending.
The court officers’ supervisor said Rodriguez picked the wrong neighborhood for a robbery – the area around the courthouse is always very heavy with security.
Last night, detectives were looking into the possibility Rodriguez had a woman accomplice.
“Just before he came in, a woman walked in and saw my pet Rottweiler and asked if he was dangerous. I said, ‘No, not at all,’ and she went back outside and then the gunman came in,” the owner said.