A 69-year-old woman was robbed early Wednesday evening near Park Avenue and Pleasant Avenue in East Harlem, after police say a stranger walked up to her, flashed a firearm and yanked the necklace from her neck. The robber also reached into her pants pocket, grabbed her cellphone and took off running, according to investigators, who are now asking New Yorkers to help track the person down.
🚨WANTED FOR A ROBBERY: On Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at approximately 5:57 P.M., in the vicinity of Park Avenue and Pleasant Avenue, an unidentified individual approached a 69-year-old female and forcibly removed the victim’s necklace from her neck. The unidentified individual… pic.twitter.com/K7aEpybg3V
— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) July 24, 2026
What police say
In a notice shared by NYPD Crime Stoppers, the department says the robbery happened at about 5:57 p.m. on Wednesday near Park Avenue and Pleasant Avenue. According to the alert, an unidentified individual approached the 69-year-old victim, displayed a firearm, forcibly removed her necklace, took her cellphone and fled on foot. The public appeal asks anyone who recognizes the suspect or saw what happened to come forward.
Reward and how to tip
The Crime Stoppers post offers "up to $3500 for a tip that leads to an arrest and indictment," according to NYPD Crime Stoppers. Tipsters are urged to call 1-800-577-TIPS or send a direct message to @NYPDTips on X. For background on how anonymous tips work and what happens after you call, the city lays out the process on its Crime Stoppers page at NYPD Crime Stoppers.
Pattern of snatchings around the city
This is not the only case of thieves going after jewelry and phones from older New Yorkers in recent weeks. Similar chain and cellphone snatchings have popped up across the city this summer, often in broad public spaces and in daylight hours. Recent examples include an Astoria incident highlighted in Astoria necklace snatcher coverage and a wider wanted alert reported by NBC New York. Police say the East Harlem robbery fits into the pattern of similar grab-and-run cases they have been flagging.
Legal notes
Under New York law, showing what appears to be a firearm during a robbery is an aggravating factor that can bump the crime into a higher-degree robbery charge, which is a felony. Courts and legal summaries point out that even an object that only looks like a gun can increase the severity of the offense. For a discussion of how displaying a weapon affects robbery charges, see state case law such as People v. Smith.
Anyone who witnessed the July 22 incident, has surveillance footage from the area around Park Avenue and Pleasant Avenue, or recognizes the person in the Crime Stoppers alert is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or send a message to @NYPDTips on X. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for the posted reward, police say.
