Cops arrested two suspects in the daytime smash-and-grab robbery at Cartier’s flagship Fifth Avenue store — an ex-con who served eight years for a $400,000 bling heist at a different Midtown shop and another ex-jailbird who served 10 years for murder, sources told The Post.
Roberto Grant, 33, who has at least 20 arrests, and Allen Williams, 35, were grabbed in Crown Heights at about 11:30 p.m. Thursday as they got into a vehicle that fit the ¬description from the Cartier heist, law-enforcement sources said.
Both were remanded after their Manhattan Criminal Court ¬arraignment Friday night.
Williams was carrying a $42,000 Cartier timepiece and confessed to acting as the getaway driver, according to his criminal complaint.
Grant had a $75,000 Cartier watch and wore the same hat and coat he donned during the raid Thursday afternoon, his complaint said.
Both men were hit with robbery charges, but three other crooks were still at large.
Five bandits barged into Cartier through a side door at about 12:30 p.m. Thursday and used two hammers to smash open a display case.
One thug stood guard at the door and screamed, “Hurry up, let’s go,” police sources said.
The gloved bandits scooped up 16 timepieces valued at a total of $709,000 and bolted.
Nearly a dozen workers and six customers were inside the store during the heist.
Police sources said they believe the theft is linked to at least six other smash-and-grabs.
In March 2004, Grant and seven accomplices allegedly used a sledgehammer to smash four display cases at Audemars Piguet on East 57th Street and swiped 10 watches and one ring. Grant was convicted of first-degree robbery.
He was released from prison in 2012 but has since been connected to jewelry-store robberies in New Jersey, prosecutors said.
Williams was recently released after serving 10 years for murder and has also been eyed in New Jersey jewelry-store robberies, prosecutors said.
Police Commissioner Bill Bratton praised the quick arrests.
“Extraordinarily great detective work,” he said.