NYC Local News: Bike Riding Cell Phone Robber Terrorizes Upper Manhattan

NYPD Seeks Help Identifying Bicycle-Bound Phone Snatcher in Manhattan

Manhattan Voice 

November 14, 2025 

NYC LOCAL NEWS - The NYPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man believed to be behind a string of bold cellphone snatches across Manhattan—mostly targeting people simply walking down the street with a phone in hand. Police say the same individual, riding a black bicycle, has struck at least 10 times across three precincts between late September and early November.

Cops said while no one has been hurt, the pattern has become increasingly concerning as the suspect continues to target unsuspecting pedestrians, often approaching quietly from behind before grabbing a phone and speeding off.

The first incident in this pattern was reported on September 27 near West 115th Street and Riverside Drive. A 20-year-old woman was walking when the bicyclist rolled up behind her and snatched her iPhone 14 Pro. She was not injured—just left startled and phoneless, like many of the other victims.

Two days later, on September 29, the suspect struck multiple times in the 26 Precinct alone. Around West 123rd Street and Amsterdam Avenue, the bike riding robber took a Samsung A71 from a 27-year-old man. 

About 45 minutes after that, an 18-year-old woman near West 120th Street and Broadway lost her iPhone 15 Pro. 

Later that night, a 21-year-old man near Broadway and Lasalle Street had his iPhone 16 Pro taken. In one of these incidents, the suspect wore a red hoodie and dark pants—but in others, his clothing wasn’t clearly observed.

The pattern did not stop there. Over in the 24 Precinct, the suspect hit again that same night, September 29, around 370 Riverside Drive, stealing a young woman’s iPhone 15 Max, along with her student ID and debit card.

Police say the bicycle-riding thief continued popping up over the next several days and weeks. On October 2, he lifted another iPhone 14 Pro on Cathedral Parkway. Then on October 5, a 26-year-old woman on Riverside Drive lost her iPhone 15 Pro Max to a man dressed in dark clothing and a baseball cap.

By early October, the pattern had spread north into the 32 Precinct. On October 6, a 21-year-old woman near Lenox Avenue and West 143rd Street reported her iPhone 14 Pro Max was stolen by a man wearing a red baseball cap, gray hoodie, and gray sweatpants. The next day, a 25-year-old woman in front of 2064 Fifth Avenue had her iPhone 15 snatched by someone in a gray hoodie who matched the general description.

The latest case, reported on November 4, may give police the clearest glimpse yet at the individual behind the spree. A 58-year-old woman dining outdoors on Amsterdam Avenue had her iPhone 16 Max snatched right off her table. In this instance, police were able to obtain images showing the suspect’s appearance.

According to the NYPD, he has a dark complexion and was last seen wearing a black baseball cap, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jacket, black pants, and black-and-white sneakers.

Anyone with information regarding 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 at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.