Last Thursday, April 16, a 13-year-old boy was beaten and robbed at 153rd Street and 89th Avenue in Jamaica, Queens, in a quick and brutal attack that ended with thieves taking his backpack and sneakers. Police say one person punched and kicked the teen while another hit him with a metal pole before the pair ran off. The NYPD’s Crime Stoppers unit has since released photos of the suspects as detectives work the case.
Photos Out, Cops Turn to the Public
The NYPD Crime Stoppers bulletin, which includes surveillance stills and is labeled "WANTED FOR A ROBBERY," lays out the April 16 attack near 153rd Street and 89th Avenue, according to NYPD Crimestoppers on Facebook. The notice says the two suspects assaulted the 13-year-old, grabbed his backpack and sneakers, and took off. They remain unidentified, and the post urges anyone who knows who they are to pass along tips through Crime Stoppers.
Another Case in a Troubling Pattern
The alert lands amid a run of NYPD notices about robberies and violent thefts involving teenagers across Queens and nearby precincts. Hoodline recently covered a similar incident in which a teen was slashed during a midday robbery on the 7 train, part of a string of youth-involved robberies and assaults in the borough. Police and neighborhood groups have been warning families to stay alert while detectives try to put names to the faces in the latest images.
How to Share What You Know
Officials say anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), submit an anonymous tip online at Crime Stoppers, or message the NYPD’s tips account on X at @NYPDTips, the post and police site note. Spanish speakers can call 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for help in Spanish. Crime Stoppers offers reward options and preserves anonymity for people who share tips through its reporting portal.
What Detectives Want From the Public
The bulletin’s headline is blunt: "WANTED FOR A ROBBERY." Investigators are asking anyone who recognizes the suspects in the surveillance stills to contact them. So far, no arrests have been announced; the suspects remain unidentified and the investigation is ongoing, according to NYPD Crimestoppers on Facebook.
