The Disturbing Rise of Subway Crime: Thief Maces Straphanger on NYC Subway

Police are searching for this man in connection with a robbery on a Bronx subway in which the victim was sprayed in the face. -Photo by NYPD

By Dan Gesslein

Manhattan Voice

July 6, 2023

NEW YORK - Police are looking for a tank top wearing thief who maced a straphanger on a Bronx subway car to steal his cell phone.  

At around 3 am, a 22-year-old man was on board a Northbound Number 2 train in the Wakefield section of the Bronx. As the train approached the East 225th Street subway station, a man walked up to the straphanger. 

 

Cops said the man pulled out some type of small canister and sprayed an unknown substance into the subway rider’s face. As the victim covered his face reeling from the substance sprayed on him, the attacker forcefully removed his cell phone. 

The train then pulled into the station and the attacker fled the subway car and to the street below. However, his image was captured on the station’s cameras. 

 

The victim was treated by EMS at the scene and was not transported to a hospital.

Police released surveillance video from the subway platform which shows the suspect running towards the stairs to flee the station.  

The suspect is described as a male with a dark complexion and a semi-muscular build. He was last seen wearing a white tank top, jogging pants and white sneakers. He appears to be wearing a dark jacket as well. The video also shows the suspect sporting a black Du-rage and a black face mask.

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.