Surveillance footage shows an unidentified man trying to force open the locked front lobby door of a Queens residential building on Thursday, May 7, at the intersection of 150th Street and 79th Avenue, police said. When the door did not budge, the man fled westbound on 79th Avenue on an electric bicycle. NYPD Crime Stoppers is asking anyone who recognizes him to call in tips.
Police bulletin includes still frames
According to NYPD Crime Stoppers, investigators posted still images from the surveillance video on May 16 and described the case as an attempted burglary reported on May 7 at the building’s front lobby at 150th Street and 79th Avenue. The Facebook bulletin notes that the suspect fled on an electric bicycle heading west on 79th Avenue and lists tipline numbers, including the Spanish line 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
How to help
Anyone who recognizes the man or captured video of him is urged to contact Crime Stoppers by phone or through an anonymous internet tip. The city’s Crime Stoppers hotline is 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), and an online portal is also available; see NYPD Crime Stoppers for details.
Part of a broader pattern
E-bikes and other small electric vehicles have turned up in a string of street crimes across Queens this spring, often complicating pursuits and quick response by officers. Reporting by NBC New York highlighted a separate multi-incident alert in Queens in April in which a suspect used a two-wheel vehicle during robberies.
Legal implications
An attempted forced entry to a residential lobby can be investigated as burglary or as an inchoate offense under New York law. Burglary in the third degree is defined as knowingly entering or remaining unlawfully in a building with intent to commit a crime, and the state’s attempt statute outlines when preparatory conduct can support an attempt charge; see Penal Law §140.20 and Penal Law §110.00.
If you have video, photos, or information, call Crime Stoppers or contact local detectives. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. Images and the original bulletin are available on the NYPD Crime Stoppers Facebook page, and police ask tipsters to reference the case when calling.
