(Google Maps)
Police are searching for four suspects wanted for robbing concession stands throughout the city. The NYPD has nine robberies on record since the start of the year, one of which took place within the confines of the Upper East Side’s 19th Precinct.
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Th UES robbery happened on Friday, January 5 at about 8:35 p.m. and involved three of the suspects. Two of them approached a 40-year-old woman working at a food truck in front of 1524 Second Avenue at 79th Street (a Duane Reade). Then, they “pushed her to the ground and forcibly removed $200, headphones, a debit card and a purse,” according to an NYPD official. “All three individuals fled the location on foot, traveling to parts unknown. There were no reported injuries.”
The suspects targeted newsstands during the other eight robberies, sometimes shoving their victims to the ground, other times displaying knives.
Between the nine robberies, the group stole $15,270 in cash, in addition to the personal items they stole during the UES robbery described above. The most they got during a single robbery was $5,000, which they stole from a newsstand on 54th and Broadway.
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Here are police descriptions of the suspects:
The first individual is described as a male with light complexion. He was last seen wearing a dark colored jacket and black sneakers.
The second individual is described as a male with dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black vest, black pants, black and white sneakers, and black mask.
The third individual is described as a male with dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black jacket, black pants, black sneakers, and a black mask.
The fourth individual is described as a male with dark complexion. He was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black jacket, gray sweatpants, and black sneakers.
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Here are surveillance images captured of the suspects:
Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website or by sending a direct message to @NYPDTips on Twitter. All calls are strictly confidential.
Is there anything less useful than police descriptions? At least they have decent photos for once. It’s a reminder for anyone with half a brain, (which someone robbing a newsstand clearly does not possess) that in this day and age, you’re ALWAYS on camera.
Newsstands would have been natural hubs for the old “cop on the beat.” Why can’t our walking neighborhoods have this still?