Police have arrested the brazen mugger who attacked a Hell’s Kitchen food cart vendor, knocking out several of the victim’s teeth after robbing him of thousands of dollars, police said Friday.
Jeffrey Vargas, 45, was nabbed by police Thursday afternoon for the vicious Tuesday night attack at W. 49th St. and Eighth Ave.
At his arraignment Friday afternoon, Vargas was charged with first-degree robbery and second-degree robbery. Police had initially also charged him with assault. A Manhattan Criminal Court judge set bail at $45,000 cash and $90,000 bond.
The 36-year-old vendor was arguing with Vargas from behind his food cart when the suspect bashed him in the head with a piece of plexiglass around 10:35 p.m., cops said.
The vendor was briefly knocked unconscious by the blow, but quickly revived to find Vargas removing $3,500 from his pocket, according to the criminal complaint.
Vargas fled with the cash but the vendor pursued him into the 50th St. subway station and snapped photos of him with his cell phone.
In response, Vargas then struck the victim in the jaw with a thin metal rod that he was holding, knocking out a molar, cracking another tooth and opening gashes inside and outside of the victim’s mouth, prosecutors said.
Medics took the victim to Bellevue Hospital with minor injuries.
Cops publicly released the image of the alleged mugger late Wednesday, asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to come forward.
Details of Vargas’ arrest were not immediately disclosed.
Vargas lives in the Morris Heights section of the Bronx, about 9 miles from where the mugging took place.
At the corner Wednesday night, a co-worker filling in for the victim as he recovers told the Daily News it wasn’t the first time they’ve come across Vargas.
“This guy is trouble,” Hasan Lhendeou said of the attacker. “I hope they get him so he doesn’t come back.”
