Pet-shop Mystery

[MORTARDUDE]

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/13166.htm

PET-SHOP MYSTERY

By LARRY CELONA and HEIDI SINGER
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The body of one thief is wheeled out of the pet store.

December 11, 2003 -- Police are investigating whether a pair of robbers killed by the owner of a Brooklyn pet shop knew the store was expecting a shipment of puppies - and its owner was flush with cash.
Cops said 13 puppies, worth about $5,000, were scheduled for delivery at Quality Canines in Gravesend not long after the robbers struck - and then died at the hand of their intended victim.

Michael Live, 48, and Hector Perez, 33, both of The Bronx, were shot by store owner Ivan Blume Tuesday night.

Blume told cops he wrested a .38-caliber gun from Live and shot both men, but police have been unable to connect the gun to either Live or Perez.

Live carried a 9 mm pistol and Perez a .25-caliber gun, cops said.

The gunmen were buzzed into the pet shop on Stillwell Avenue around 8:10 p.m., whereupon they whipped out guns and demanded money.

Live took Blume into the back of the store, while Perez tried to tie up store employee Daniel Bonder in duct tape, cops said.



Bonder resisted and during the struggle, Perez fired a round, police said.

As Live was distracted, Blume grabbed a gun from him and fired twice, hitting him in the head and stomach, Blume told cops.

He then ran to the front of the store and shot Perez twice in the chest as he grappled with Bonder.

Live's 9 mm was found at his feet, and a stun gun was also found on the scene.

Blume would not comment yesterday, and remained holed up in his apartment above the pet store.

Bonder also declined comment.

The pet store also suffered a robbery last December when a group of kids demanded money but snatched puppies instead when they were refused.

Neighbors said Blume was entirely justified in blowing away the pair of robbers.

"It seems to me like the good guys won for a change," said Bruce Eisen, 50.

Down the block at Barron's Grocery, cashier Gloria Rafael said, "For me, he seems like a hero because he did everything to protect his life and the life of the kid."

Perez had a sealed criminal record and Live's rap sheet included arrests for assault, weapon and drug possession.

Both worked at King Solomon Foods in Brooklyn. Perez was a driver and Live did maintenance on trucks.

"They liked their beers, they liked to party, but nothing like this. It's still a shock to everybody," said a co-worker. "Hector was kind of on the wild side, but I had no clue."

Perez's godmother, who gave her name only as Irma, said the truckdriver father-of-one was recently divorced.

"He was a poor person, but he was a good person," she said.

Live, a father of two who worked for the same Brooklyn meat market for 18 years, was described as a "hardworking guy."

Outside Live's Jackson Avenue apartment, a relative said, "I don't know why he did some crazy s- - - like that."