Police are turning to the public for help tracking down a suspected bandit they say is tied to a robbery streak that cut across Queens and Brooklyn and pulled in about $17,000. Investigators say the pattern, which mostly targeted older residents and a few neighborhood businesses, unfolded between late December and early February. No arrests have been made so far, and the probe is still very much active, according to authorities.
As reported by PIX11, the NYPD has linked at least five incidents to the same pattern. Among them: a Feb. 3 robbery in Brooklyn where $3,000 was taken from a 52-year-old woman, and a Feb. 6 incident in Queens in which an 81-year-old man reported losing $10,000. Earlier cases in Queens between December and January involved reported losses of $3,000, $900 and $100. Taken together, police say the pattern totals roughly $17,000 in stolen cash.
Police Call On Public For Help
Detectives are asking anyone who might recognize the person in the surveillance images, or who has any relevant footage or tips, to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers program. Tipsters can call 1-800-577-TIPS, or 1-888-57-PISTA for Spanish speakers. Information can also be sent by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577, or by using the online submission form on the Crime Stoppers website.
The Crime Stoppers unit reviews tips, screens them for useful leads and then passes vetted information on to detectives, as outlined by amNewYork. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward if their information leads to an arrest.
Multi-Borough Robbery Patterns Not Unusual
Robbery patterns that hop between Queens and Brooklyn are familiar territory for NYPD investigators, who say neighborhood cameras and quick calls from witnesses often make or break a case. Other multi-borough theft waves, from ATM and storefront jobs to so-called tap-and-snatch rideshare robberies, have triggered similar public appeals in recent years, according to ABC7.
In this case, the NYPD release includes surveillance images and incident details described by PIX11, and detectives are particularly interested in any home, business or street camera footage from the listed dates and locations.
Anyone who recognizes the person in the images or has information that could help is urged to contact Crime Stoppers using the methods above. All tips are confidential, and the investigation remains open as police decline to release further details about potential suspects or arrests.
