Scott Storch robbed at gunpoint in NYC
TMZ is reporting that Scott Storch--ex-keyboardist for The Roots and hip-hop super-producer of hits from everybody from Fat Joe to Beyoncé--has been robbed at gunpoint here in New York, an assertion that Storch himself apparently just confirmed via his twitter account, retweeting the headline roughly 1 hour after making the ambiguous statement:
"Nothing can stop music, thanks to all the fans and support."
And adding:
“Thanks, we are all safe and good."
According to TMZ, Storch "was robbed outside of a NY hotel today ... and the gunmen threatened to kill him in the street," adding the following details:
39-year-old Storch just filed a police report in NYC, claiming he was leaving the New York Palace hotel on Madison Ave. when he was approached by two men with guns while he was inside a waiting SUV who said, "Give us all your jewelry and cash or you're dead."Law enforcement sources tell us Storch handed over a briefcase which contained $4k to $5k in cash ... along with several pieces of jewelry, worth around $100,000. The men also demanded the driver of the SUV hand over the keys to the ride so they couldn't drive away ... and the driver complied. Eventually, we're told the bad guys ran off without opening fire. Storch says he tried to chase after the guys to see where they were headed, but they got away. Storch -- who's in town for the MTV VMAs -- went to a nearby police station and filed a report.
Metro.us adds some more details, some of which differ slightly from the TMZ report:
Police said the robbery occurred around 6:55 a.m. outside 320 West 46th Street in Manhattan.Storch and a four-person entourage were on their way to Chungking Studios last night around 11 p.m., police said.
Cops said Storch changed his mind en route and decided they would instead go to Platinum Studios because of a prior financial dispute with Chungking Studios.
The group stayed at Platinum until about 6:45 a.m. listening to music, police said. Police said there were no performing artists in the group.
They left and got in a livery SUV, and called for a separate cab to take one of the members of the entourage, identified by police as Amanda Trentacarliai, back to a hotel, cops said.
While they were waiting in the livery for the second cab to come, they were approached by two men wearing dark clothes and carrying a handgun, police said.
Police said the two men robbed Storch of a diamond necklace valued at $50,000 and a Rolex Presidential watch also valued at $50,000.
Police said the suspects fled northbound on 8th Avenue in a black SUB, possibly a Ford Explorer, and got into a minor accident while fleeing the scene.
Because of the accident, police were able to recover a broken passenger mirror and passenger door handle from the scene. Both have been swabbed for DNA.
Police said a fingerprint was lifted from the livery cab.
Storch and his entourage are reportedly being interviewed at the Midtown North precinct house. Police said all of their info thus far comes from Storch’s account of the incident. Police are are still canvassing the area for surveillance video footage.
And that's all we know to date, we'll make you aware of any further updates--but be safe out there.
