A 16-year-old who thought he was meeting up with someone he met on a social app instead wound up the victim of a knifepoint robbery near East 145 Street and 3 Avenue, according to the NYPD. Investigators say the teen connected with at least one suspect through a social-media platform and was led into a nearby residential building around 9:30 p.m. on July 3, where one person allegedly flashed a knife while two others took his cellphone, later valued at about $1,000. On July 29, the NYPD Crime Stoppers account posted photos of the suspects and announced a reward of up to $3,500 for information that leads to an arrest.
What the bulletin says
The wanted bulletin shared by NYPD Crime Stoppers includes several still images and a brief narrative of the incident. It states that the victim was guided into a residential building, where multiple people were already present when the robbery took place. According to the post, the teen’s phone was taken during the encounter, and the NYPD is asking anyone who recognizes the individuals in the photos, or who has door-cam or cellphone video from the area, to send a direct message to @NYPDTips or call the anonymous tip line. Investigators underscore that callers can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward if their information leads to an arrest and indictment.
How to help investigators
People with tips or relevant video can call 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), file an anonymous report through the Crime Stoppers website, or use the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app. The department’s public release explains how the program protects anonymity and accepts photo and video uploads for detectives to review, and it provides links to both the app download and the official tip portal. Anyone with footage from the East 145 Street and 3 Avenue area is urged to save the original files, avoid editing them, and note the timestamps before sharing them with police.
Online meetups and safety
Federal officials have tracked multiple cases in which suspects used social apps to lure people into meetings that turned violent, according to a recent roundup from the FBI. The FBI and local law enforcement recommend meeting online acquaintances only in public places, bringing a friend when possible, and steering clear of private addresses for first-time meetups. If you witness a crime unfolding, authorities say to call 911 rather than step in yourself, and to keep any recordings intact as potential evidence.
A pattern across the city
Similar NYPD Crime Stoppers bulletins have asked for help identifying suspects in robberies across other parts of the city, highlighting how often detectives rely on neighbor video and tips to move cases forward, as reported in coverage of robberies in other neighborhoods. Police repeatedly caution that members of the public should never try to confront or detain anyone featured in wanted alerts.
Anyone with information about the July 3 robbery at or near East 145 Street and 3 Avenue is asked to preserve any video they may have and contact Crime Stoppers. The full wanted bulletin and suspect images are available on the NYPD Crime Stoppers account. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
