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Ashraf H. Almulaiki, 29, of Clay, was charged Dec. 10 with first-degree attempted robbery (a Class C felony), according to Auburn Police Department filings in Auburn City Court obtained by мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼.

According to the filings, Almulaiki and unidentified accomplices tried to steal keys to a Ford transit van parked in front of the former O Exotics & Snacks smoke shop at 62 Owasco St. at around 1 a.m. Oct. 5. The accomplices tried to steal the keys from people renovating the store into a deli, according to statements they provided to police, and pointed a handgun at them to do so.

One victim said in his statement that he heard what sounded like someone loading a gun while bringing bags of garbage from the shop to the van. He turned around to see two men in masks running toward him. One pointed a pistol at him and said, "don't move or I will shoot." The gunman then grabbed the victim's hair while the other masked man placed the victim's hands behind his back.

The victim was brought into the shop, thrown to the ground and kicked, his statement continued. The victim's coworkers also had the gun pointed at them, and one of them was punched.

The coworkers were able to escape, at which point the two men attacked the victim again and caused him to fear for his life, he said. They asked him for the keys to the van, which he said he didn't have. They then told him they would kill him if he moved before they left. They got into Almulaiki's gray 2021 Ram pickup, driving toward Walnut Street, and officers arrived shortly afterward.

Another victim said in a statement that he recognized a driver in front of the store as one of the O Exotics & Snacks tenants, but did not know his name. That victim's family was contacted by the store's landlord earlier that day, he continued, to say the tenants stated they planned to reopen the smoke shop after it was shut down by the state this summer and wanted items from it.

Auburn Police Department Detective Adam Martin said in the court filings that phone records and video surveillance footage were used to arrest Almulaiki. 

Cayuga County District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci told мÓƶà¶à¿ª½±¼Ç¼ that Almulaiki was arraigned in Auburn City Court Dec. 11, with bail set at $50,000 cash or $100,000 bond.

He posted bond on Monday and was released from the Cayuga County Jail.