Cedarhurst employee arrested after alleged harassment and forcible touching of young girls at gas station market
Nassau County police say the employee, identified as Habibour Rahaman, 59, was arrested and charged with forcible touch of intimate parts.
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A now-former employee at a Bolla Market in Cedarhurst has been arrested after allegedly verbally sexually harassing and inappropriately touching a group of young girls.
Nassau County police say the employee, identified as 59-year-old Habibour Rahaman, from Queens, was arrested and charged with forcible touch of intimate parts.
According to officials, the incident happened Sunday night at the Bolla Market and Exxon gas station on Rockaway Turnpike.
Authorities say several young girls went into the store and were allegedly subjected to verbal sexual harassment and inappropriate physical touching by an employee.
"They had to go inside and some lewd comments were made to all these young girls and the girls from my understanding, they're 18 and under," says Ari Brown, state assemblyman and deputy mayor for the Village of Cedarhurst.
News 12 contacted a manager for the market using a phone number provided by Brown. The person who answered said the individual being sought for comment would not be available to speak.
An employee gave News 12 another phone number for a manager and that manager said Rahaman no longer works at the market.
The incident has prompted concerns among residents about the safety of children in the area.
"This is a very, like young neighborhood young people. There's kids around," says Zach Goldschmidt, of Cedarhurst.
"It's definitely concerning. It's generally a safe neighborhood, but definitely you have to be on the lookout," says Ari Friedman, of Woodmere. "It's very scary, because the stories are real and it can affect children for the very long term."
Officials are urging community members to report any incidents to law enforcement.
"Imagine if you don't call what the next parent's going to go through," says Brown.
"I think that anyone who has anything should be coming forward and making sure that people are held accountable," says Goldschmidt.
Court documents say Rahaman was arraigned on Monday in Hempstead.
