An early Sunday trip down Avenue A turned violent for two 26-year-old men, who were assaulted and robbed in front of 105 Avenue A in Manhattan’s East Village, police say. According to investigators, the men were punched and kicked, and the group took off with two cellphones and a pair of sneakers, prompting a wanted bulletin from NYPD Crime Stoppers.
NYPD Crime Stoppers later pushed the case out on social media:
What the NYPD bulletin says
The NYPD Crime Stoppers bulletin, posted Wednesday, describes the incident as happening at about 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, when five unidentified individuals approached and surrounded the two victims before fleeing with their property. The post lists the stolen items, notes that the suspects took off in an unknown direction and highlights a reward of up to $3,500 for information that leads to an arrest. According to NYPD Crime Stoppers, tips can be submitted by phone or online.
Scene and precinct
The attack unfolded on Avenue A in the East Village, within the jurisdiction of the NYPD's 9th Precinct. The precinct’s official page lists its stationhouse at 321 East 5th Street and lays out neighborhood boundaries that include the block where the robbery occurred. Per the NYPD, residents can contact the precinct directly with local tips or concerns.
How this fits into citywide trends
Citywide robbery numbers were nudging downward around the time of the Avenue A incident, even as detectives continue to circulate wanted flyers for street robberies in lower Manhattan. In the week through June 14, reported robberies fell by 4.3 percent, according to the NYPD CompStat report. Meanwhile, neighborhood outlets such as EV Grieve have routinely reposted Crime Stoppers bulletins, underscoring how much the department leans on public tips in the East Village.
How to report tips
Anyone with information is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish call 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), or submit a tip via the Crime Stoppers website. Tips may be eligible for a reward of up to $3,500 if they lead to an arrest, the agency says. See NYPD Crime Stoppers for more details.
No arrests have been reported, and investigators are asking anyone with video footage or other information to come forward to help identify the five individuals. The 9th Precinct and Crime Stoppers are handling tips while the investigation remains active.
