Police are searching for two men in connection with a series of necklace robberies in the Bronx, claiming they have been responsible for at least nine muggings since late last month.
The first incident came on June 24, when one of the perps grabbed a chain from the neck of a 40-year-old female in St. James Park at around 1 p.m., before punching her in the chest and running off.
The next day, one of the perps carried out a similar mugging — this time, grabbing a 14-year-old girl from behind outside of 3900 Waldo Ave., and snatching a gold chain from the victim’s neck.
On July 1, a 56-year-old female was the target of the crime spree, as she was walking her dog in front of 2332 Esplanade at around 11:15 p.m. Two perps approached her from behind, before holding her down and stealing her necklace, before the pair of crooks took off on a scooter.
The scooter-riding duo struck again on July 4, when they stole a necklace from a 60-year-old woman on the sidewalk in front of 2714 Wallace Ave.
Four days later, a 67-year-old woman was walking in front of 780 East 234 St. when the two men approached on their scooter and snatched her chain at around 5:25 p.m.
They later targeted a 28-year-old female delivery worker on July 13 near 80 Van Cortlandt Park South — grabbing the victim at around 12:45 p.m., and claiming they had a knife. The perps then forcibly removed two chains from the victim’s neck, before running off.
According to police, the suspects struck twice on July 14 — first when they brandished a screwdriver to threaten a 55-year-old female at 3415 Cannon Pl., before snatching her necklace and running off at 11:10 a.m.
Just 10 minutes later, the thieves robbed another woman about a half mile away at 88 West 197 St. They approached the 22-year-old as she walked her dog near the Washington’s Walk greenspace, and snagged three necklaces from her possession.
The most recent incident came on July 15, when the criminal duo robbed a 69-year-old woman’s necklace as she exited her parked car near 625 Burke Ave. at 1:20 p.m. They then fled on a scooter.
Police described the two necklace-thieves as having a dark complexion, and standing approximately 5’10” to 5’11” tall.
So far this year, through July 23, when the most recent NYPD data is available, the Bronx has seen 2,602 robberies.
No arrests have yet been made in the string of necklace heists, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident 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 Crime Stoppers website, or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
All calls are strictly confidential.
