Jul. 8, 2023 By Robert Pozarycki
Police need the public’s help in finding a robbery crew in the Bronx and Queens who held up six people in two days.
The NYPD released on Friday night images of the suspects and their getaway vehicle connected to the early-morning robbery pattern. Three of the incidents occurred in the Bronx on June 29, while three others occurred in Queens and the Bronx on July 1.
Law enforcement sources said each of the robberies occurred between the hours of 3 and 9:30 a.m., and involved between three and six suspects approaching men on the street, displaying weapons and demanding the victims’ property. In two instances, authorities said, the crooks physically attacked their victims.
After almost all of the stickups, police reported, the perpetrators fled the scene inside a blue Honda.
Police said the first of the three June 29 robberies occurred at 3 a.m. near 1720 Crotona Ave. within Crotona Park. According to authorities, six individuals approached a 39-year-old victim and confronted him.
Law enforcement sources said two of the thieves displayed knives and demanded that the victim hand over everything he had. The six suspects then punched the victim multiple times, threw him to the ground and forcibly removed his cellphone.
Soon after the victims fled, authorities said, EMS brought the victim to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Ten minutes later, at 3:10 a.m., police said the crew struck again in the vicinity of 4149 Park Ave. in Tremont. There, four crooks approached and robbed a 69-year-old man at knifepoint, stealing a sum of cash and his cell phone.
An hour later, authorities said, the crew followed and robbed a 26-year-old man near the corner of East Burnside and Anthony Avenues in West Bronx at about 4:14 a.m., forcibly removing a wallet from the victim’s pocket at knifepoint.
Cops said the crew struck again in Queens at 7:35 a.m. on the morning of July 1, with four suspects robbing a 52-year-old man in the area of 35th Avenue and 108th Street in Corona.
After confronting the man and demanding his cellphone, police reported, the victim tried to run away — only to be caught by the individuals, who then forcibly removed his bag, which contained an iPad.
Less than 10 minutes later, police reported, three crew members robbed a 52-year-old man at the corner of 37th Avenue and 109th Street, also in Corona. Law enforcement sources said they pinned the victim against a fence, yanked a chain off his neck, then fled inside the blue Honda westbound along 37th Avenue.
Some 90 minutes later, authorities said, the crew returned to the Bronx and robbed a 68-year-old man at gunpoint in the vicinity of East 170th Street and Wilkens Avenue near Crotona Park.
In that caper, police said, one of four suspects pushed the man to the ground and forcibly removed his cellphone. Another suspect then pistol-whipped the victim for his trouble.
EMS later brought the victim to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Anyone with information regarding any of the suspects’ whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
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