Detectives need the public’s help in finding the crook who mugged a subway rider in Chinatown last month and robbed merchandise from two pharmacies on the same August day.
The NYPD released on Aug. 20 video footage of the crook sought for the series of robberies, the first of which took place at the Canal Street subway station in Chinatown at noon on July 9.
Cops said the suspect confronted a 58-year-old man on the Bronx-bound 6 train platform and asked for his wallet. When the victim refused, authorities said, the perpetrator punched the man multiple times in the head, knocking him to the floor.
The crook then grabbed the victim’s grocery bags and fled on an arriving Bronx-bound 6 train, authorities said.
Officers from the 5th Precinct and NYPD Transit Bureau responded to the incident. Paramedics brought the victim to Bellevue Hospital, where he was treated for a facial laceration.
A month later, cops said, the suspect changed his tactic and robbed goods from two drug stores on Aug. 13.
Police reported that the first robbery occurred at 4:33 p.m. on Aug. 13 inside the CVS located at 81 8th Ave. in Chelsea.
According to authorities, the crook walked into the location and removed diapers off the shelf and placed them into his bag. When an 18-year-old male pharmacy worker confronted him, cops said, the perpetrator pulled out a metal object and threatened the employee.
The suspect then walked out of the store with the diapers and fled in an unknown direction.
Seven hours later, police said, at 11:36 p.m., the thief visited the Duane Reade at 380 Amsterdam Ave. on the Upper West Side, grabbed various goods and attempted to walk out of the store.
When a 23-year-old female security guard went to stop him, according to authorities, the crook again pulled out an unidentified metal object and threatened her. He then walked out of the store with the property.
The video that police provided on Aug. 20 shows the suspect engaged in a brief struggle with the security guard.
Anyone with information regarding the crook’s whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips online at nypdcrimestoppers.com, or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
