Cops need the public’s help in finding a burglary tag team who busted through 10 restaurants across Chinatown and the East Village to steal property in a months-long pattern.
In each instance between March and June, cops said, one of the suspects broke through the front entrance of each restaurant, then stole cash and/or electronics from within the location. The second perpetrator remained outside the establishment, acting as a lookout.
On July 13, the NYPD released video footage of both suspects taken during the most recent break-in, which occurred at 10 p.m. on June 24 at Sammy’s Halal, located at 109 First Ave. in the East Village.
During the caper, law enforcement sources said, one of the suspects stood outside as a lookout while the other broke through the eatery’s front door. Once inside, the burglar removed $1,400 in cash from the register, then fled with the lookout in an unknown direction.
Police outlined the other incidents in the burglary pattern as follows:
- At 11:57 p.m. on March 7, the burglars hit Fong On restaurant at 81 Division St. in Chinatown, stealing a cash register containing $600 in cash.
- At 3:45 a.m. on March 8, the crooks burglarized the Tio Pio eatery at 250 East 14th St. in the East Village, removing a cash register worth $450.
- At 12:01 a.m. on March 9, the suspects broke into Ramen Setgagya at 34 St. Mark’s Place, removing cash and electronics valued at $3,450.
- At 4:34 a.m. on May 31, the perpetrators broke into the Hunan Bistro at 96 3rd Ave., stealing $2,700 in cash and electronics.
- At 10 p.m. on June 13, the burglars hit La Mia Pizza at 124 4th Ave. and grabbed $750 from the cash register.
- At 2:37 a.m. on June 14, the suspects broke into the Greenwich Market Place at 120 4th Ave. and removed a cash register and its contents, valued at $700.
- At 7 p.m. on June 18, the crooks burglarized the GIA at 334 Bowery, removing an iPad and a tool kit valued at $750.
- At 11:30 p.m. on June 18, the perpetrators pilfered Pinky’s at 61 East 3rd St., stealing cash and electronic valued at $4,300.
- At 3:30 a.m. on June 19, the suspects struck the Village Café and Grill at 128 East 4th St., removing $500 from the cash register.
Police described both suspects as men with light complexions between 40 and 60 years of age, standing between 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 190 pounds.
Anyone with information regarding their 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.
