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Moped riding crooks steal $60,000 in cash in gunpoint robbery on Sunnyside street: NYPD

Police are searching for two suspects who allegedly robbed $60,000 cash from a man at gunpoint on a Sunnyside street on Friday, Sept. 15 (Photos: NYPD (l.) and Google Maps (r.))

Sept. 18, 2023 By Michael Dorgan

Police are searching for two suspects on a moped who allegedly stole $60,000 cash from a man at gunpoint on a Sunnyside street on Friday, Sept. 15.

The brazen broad daylight robbery took place at around 3 p.m. in front of 99c and Gifts, a discount store located at 48-16 Skillman Ave., where one of the suspects approached the 47-year-old victim and fired a gun at the ground, according to police from the 108^th Precinct.

The crook then stole the $60,000 cash from the victim before fleeing the scene on a black-colored moped being driven by his accomplice. The duo fled northbound on 49th Street, cops said.

Police did not say how or if the suspects knew the victim had such a large amount of cash before they targeted him. It is also unclear why the victim was carrying the cash on his person at the time of the robbery.

Police on Sunday, Sept. 17, released a grainy image of the alleged gunman as well as a second blurry image of the pair on a moped. The gunman can be seen wearing a food delivery backpack while the moped driver appears to be wearing a baseball cap and a red and white colored jacket.

The victim was not injured, and police say the incident is still under investigation.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential.

There have been 526 reported incidents of grand larceny in the 108th Precinct this year through Sept. 10, up 9.4% compared to the same time last year, according to police data. The 108th Precinct serves Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City.

Friday’s robbery comes about eight weeks after two masked men stole around $10,000 in merchandise at gunpoint from a smoke shop at 43-45 44th St. in Sunnyside.