A smoke shop employee who was assaulted and robbed says he knows his attacker - and that the man was a trusted visitor who frequented the store.

The incident happened on March 2 inside of Tony's Smoke Shop on 66 Wyckoff Ave. around 11:20 a.m.

Salah Alyaffai, 65 was attacked by a man he says he knew and trusted. 

Police say the suspect walked into the store and asked the shop employee to use the bathroom.

They say after he walked out of the bathroom, the suspect told Alyaffai there was a large dead rat inside of the bathroom.

When Alyaffai went to check the bathroom, he says the suspect began hitting him in the head with a rock before smashing the cash register.

The suspect got away with Alyaffai's iPhone 5 and $400 from the register.

Alyaffai says the man told him he would shoot him if he tried to follow him out of the store.

The 65-year-old was transported to the hospital where he was treated for cuts and bruises.

Alyaffai tells News 12 he had often allowed the man who attacked him to come inside the store to help clean up. 

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.