Police have arrested the brazen mugger who attacked a Hell’s Kitchen food cart vendor, knocking out several of the victim’s teeth before robbing him of thousands of dollars, police said Friday.
Jeffrey Vargas, 45, was nabbed by police Thursday afternoon and charged with second-degree robbery and assault for the vicious Tuesday night attack at W. 49th St. and Eighth Ave.
The 36-year-old vendor was manning his cart when Vargas approached and bashed him in the face with a piece of plexiglass and a metal object.
He then robbed the vendor, running off with $3,500, cops said.
The victim lost several teeth in the attack, police said. Medics took him to Bellevue Hospital with minor injuries.
Vargas fled to a nearby 50th St. subway station, where he was photographed with a thin metal object in his hand, police said. 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 nine miles from where the mugging took place.
His arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending Friday.
At the corner Wednesday night, the victim’s co-worker filling in for him 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.”