Ithaca police officers caught an attempted robbery suspect as he was running from the scene of the crime. Police said they chased 21-year-old Steven Happel from Brooktondale as he was running across South Meadow Street in Ithaca. Officers found him hiding in a dumpster and arrested him. According to Ithaca Police, Happel entered a convenience store on the 200 block of North Meadow Avenue and approached the counter with a concealed object under his sweatshirt. Happel allegedly pointed the object at the cashier and threatened to shoot unless the cashier handed over money. The cashier hit the panic alarm. Police said Happel ripped it out of the cashier’s hand and fled. The suspect didn’t get away with any merchandise or money. Happel was arraigned and sent to the Tompkins County jail.
