A late-night caper at a Grand Concourse building ended with a suspected thief rolling away on a stolen motorized wheelchair worth about $5,000, police say. The NYPD says the man slipped into the lobby at 888 Grand Concourse around 2:11 a.m. on April 21, took the chair and used it for a slow getaway, according to FOX 5 NY. No one was hurt.
Video shows the theft
Surveillance video released by investigators shows the man yanking the motorized wheelchair out from under a stairwell, sitting down on it and cruising through the lobby before taking off, according to the New York Post. Police shared the footage with local outlets as they canvassed the area for additional video and witnesses.
Stills from the footage show the suspect wearing dark pants, a blue sweatshirt, a black vest, a backpack and a blue-and-white winter hat, per the New York Post.
Police seek tips
The stolen wheelchair is valued at roughly $5,000 and no arrests have been made, according to FOX 5 NY. The theft happened in the lobby of 888 Grand Concourse, and detectives are still working to track down the suspect.
Anyone with information or video is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-577-TIPS, using the NYPD Crime Stoppers app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577. Spanish speakers can call 1-888-57-PISTA, the police bulletin notes.
Smaller electric vehicles as getaway tools
Police say the crime fits a broader pattern they have been flagging in recent weeks, with suspects using smaller motorized rides like mopeds and scooters to pull off quick thefts and get out fast. A moped-driven robbery crew was linked to a series of chain snatches across the Bronx and Queens in late April, underscoring how heavily investigators now lean on doorbell and cellphone video to track suspects.
Neighbors and building managers told local outlets they are rattled by how casually the wheelchair was taken from the lobby. Police are urging anyone with footage from doorbell or phone cameras in the area to preserve it and reach out to investigators. News 12 notes the address appears to be an office for personal-injury attorneys, and officers are continuing to canvass the block for more clues.
