TV cop Richard Belzer hits out at assault claims

TV cop Richard Belzer insists an Apple store worker who called the cops on him was "trying to shake me down".

The actor, who played Detective John Munch in both Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order: SVU, was accused of grabbing a store worker around the neck.

Police were called to the New York store and, after watching CCTV footage of the event, allowed the actor to go without charges.

Now Belzer, 65, has angrily hit out at Milan Agnew, 21, insisting: "I just want her to seek help."

Denying any assault, he said: "I guess she was trying to shake me down. She clearly knew who I was. Sometimes when you are a celebrity, people try to take advantage of you."

Belzer says he put his hand on her shoulder when she offered to help him - different than her claims that he grabbed her by the shoulders, shook her, choked her and barked, "I need help!"

Belzer said he was glad that it was caught on a security tape. "I didn't scream. I didn't choke her. Go to the videotape. The police did," he said. "A bunch of New York's Finest reviewed the tape, and they saw that there was nothing. I was not charged. There is no charge.