T-Shirt Wearing Scooter Riding Thieves Wanted for String of Thefts

Drive-By Thieves Made Own Disguises Out of T-Shirts

Cops are searching for these men who made disguises out of t-shirts and robbed two women near colleges in upper Manhattan and the Bronx. -Photo by NYPD

Struck Near Columbia, Hostos

By Dan Gesslein 

Manhattan Voice 

July 21, 2023

NEW YORK - A pair of scooter riding thieves who fashioned Du-rags and face masks out of t-shirts to hide their identities are wanted for a string of robberies in Manhattan and the Bronx, cops said. 

Police released surveillance video of the suspects which shows the pair on a moped wearing home made disguises. Both men are seen wearing t-shirts as Du-rags to cover their heads. The driver is seen wearing a store bought face mask. However. the passenger is seen using a second t-shirt to cover his face. 

Cops said the the suspects struck three times in two days throughout upper Manhattan and the lower Bronx. Twice they struck near major colleges.

The first case took place in East Harlem at around 6:45 pm on July 5. A 27-year-old woman was walking in the vicinity of Pleasant Avenue and East 116 Street when the blue moped rolled up behind her. Cops said the man on the back of the moped tried to grab her cellphone but was only able to make off with the keys she had in her hand. The thieves rode off and the victim did not sustain any injuries.  

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The same crew successfully struck twice the following day. The first robbery took place across the street from Hostos College. 

 

At around 11 am on July 7, a 40-year-old woman was attempting to make a call on the corner of Park Avenue and East 149 Street when the moped pulled up behind her. The passenger pulled out a knife and took the woman’s phone out of her hands. 

The robbers then drove off. 

The victim was not injured. The final robbery took place a few hours later across the street from Columbia University’s The Forum which hosts academic lectures. 

At around 3:30 pm on July 7, a 53-year-old woman was on her phone on the corner of Broadway and West 125 Street. The crew on the moped rode up and snatched the victim’s cell phone out of her hands. 

The robbers then drove off westbound on West 125th Street. 

The victim did not suffer any injuries. 

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 CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. 

All calls are strictly confidential.