A quiet Monday afternoon in the Bronx turned frightening when a group of teenage boys were robbed in broad daylight in front of 642 East 233rd Street in the 47th Precinct. Police say that at about 1:35 p.m., two unidentified individuals approached the group. One of the suspects displayed a firearm while the other removed a moped from the scene, leaving the victims - two 14-year-old boys and a 17-year-old boy - shaken and robbed on the sidewalk.
NYPD Crime Stoppers Issues Wanted Bulletin
The NYPD is now asking for the public's help. A bulletin posted to the department's Crime Stoppers feed features clear images of the two suspects along with two attachments labeled transcripts 6850218 and 6850219, and urges anyone who recognizes the people pictured to contact detectives. According to NYPD Crime Stoppers, tips can be submitted anonymously by messaging the account or calling the department's tip number. The alert also specifically asks witnesses to hang on to any surveillance or cellphone video that could help identify the suspects.
Moped-enabled thefts are a growing concern
The detail about a moped being used at the scene fits an increasingly familiar pattern. In recent months, there have been a string of moped-assisted robberies and quick-hit chain-snatching incidents reported across the Bronx and other boroughs. As necklaces ripped off straphanger has documented, thieves often work in pairs, with one suspect approaching victims while the other waits nearby as a getaway rider. That kind of tag-team approach makes surveillance footage and bystander video especially valuable for investigators trying to put names to the faces caught on camera.
How to help investigators
Anyone with information is urged to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA. Tips can also be submitted online through the department's Crime Stoppers page. Per the NYPD Crime Stoppers program, eligible tips that lead to an arrest and indictment may qualify for a reward of up to $3,500.
Authorities are asking anyone who might have relevant phone footage or building-camera video to preserve it and share it with detectives, and to avoid approaching or confronting anyone they believe might be involved. Detectives say the investigation remains active as they review the images released in the bulletin along with any new video and tips that come in.
