Police are asking for the public’s help tracking down a man who allegedly groped a 21-year-old woman on an MTA bus in the Bronx last Sunday. Investigators say the man grabbed the victim’s buttocks on MTA bus #107 near Westchester Avenue and Intervale Avenue in the NYPD’s 42nd Precinct, then ran off on foot. The NYPD’s Crime Stoppers unit has released surveillance stills in a wanted alert and is urging anyone with information to come forward.
What police released
The public alert is headlined “WANTED FOR FORCIBLE TOUCHING” and features surveillance stills along with a short account of what happened, according to NYPD Crime Stoppers. The post explains how to submit tips: call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-8477, use the Spanish line at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), message @NYPDTips on X, or use the online tip form.
Where this happened
The bus was moving through the Longwood and Morrisania area of the Bronx, near the Intervale Avenue station, inside the 42nd Precinct’s patrol area. The NYPD’s precinct page notes that the 42nd Precinct covers Morrisania and Crotona Park East and lists contact information for detectives and community affairs officers, according to the NYPD 42nd Precinct.
What the charge means
Investigators are treating the case as forcible touching, a sex offense that covers intentionally touching another person’s intimate parts without consent, including squeezing, grabbing or pinching. New York Penal Law §130.52 defines forcible touching and classifies it as a class A misdemeanor, with penalties and charging decisions depending on the circumstances, according to the New York State Senate.
Why authorities put images online
Detectives have increasingly leaned on public wanted alerts and rider-shot video to move cases like this along. Police say cellphone clips from commuters and home door cameras often provide the break they need. Recent coverage has highlighted a string of similar Crime Stoppers appeals across the city this month, where tips and camera footage were credited with helping identify suspects.
How to pass along tips
Anyone with information, photos or video related to this case is asked to hold on to the original files and contact NYPD Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tipsters can also use the online tip portal or send a direct message on X to @NYPDTips, according to FOX 5 NY. Tips can be submitted anonymously, and callers may be eligible for a reward.
