An 18-year-old woman was groped near West 155th Street and Riverside Drive on Sunday afternoon, and NYPD investigators are now trying to track down the person they say grabbed her and took off. According to the department's Crime Stoppers unit, the victim was approached at about 4:36 p.m. and had her buttocks grabbed before the suspect fled on foot. Police have released surveillance stills and are asking anyone who recognizes the person to come forward.
What officials released
The NYPD Crime Stoppers account posted a "WANTED FOR A FORCIBLE TOUCHING" alert tied to the 33rd Precinct, along with surveillance images and a brief description of the encounter. The notice says the suspect grabbed the victim's buttocks and ran off, and the stills show a dark hoodie with the word "strength" printed on the front and back. Investigators urged New Yorkers to scan their phone and door-cam clips for anyone matching the images and to share any leads, as posted by NYPD Crime Stoppers.
How to pass along tips
Crime Stoppers says anyone with information, photos, or video can call the anonymous hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or the Spanish line at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or submit a tip through its online portal. The unit also lists 24-hour sex-crime hotlines and notes that tipsters may be eligible for a reward of up to $3,500. Those reporting are asked to preserve original files and timestamps so detectives can verify when and where the footage was captured, per NYPD Crime Stoppers.
What the charge covers
Under New York law, "forcible touching" refers to non-consensual contact with another person's sexual or intimate parts and can include actions such as squeezing, grabbing, or pinching. The offense is often charged as a misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances. Courts have at times distinguished a brief unwanted pat from the level of force the statute is meant to cover, and charging decisions turn on the specific facts and the prosecutor's judgment. The statutory language and related legislative materials are available on state legislative sites, per the New York State Assembly.
Neighborhood pattern and context
The alert joins a steady stream of Crime Stoppers wanted posts citywide in recent weeks, where surveillance stills and riders' videos have helped detectives identify suspects. Local coverage has chronicled several similar appeals in Upper Manhattan and at transit hubs, showing how public tips and shared footage can sometimes give investigators the break they need. The newest release focuses on a stretch of Riverside Drive with both pedestrian and transit traffic in the 33rd Precinct, as noted in coverage of similar appeals in Upper Manhattan.
Anyone who saw the incident or has relevant video is urged to hang on to the original file and contact Crime Stoppers by phone, online, or by messaging the NYPD tip account on X so detectives can follow up. Tips can be submitted anonymously and may qualify for a reward, and investigators stress that even small details can help.
