A 19-year-old woman was stepping off an MTA B12 bus in front of 2586 Fulton Street on Wednesday, August 5, when a man approached her and placed his hand on her buttocks, according to police. The suspect then took off on foot into the nearby subway station, disappearing to parts unknown. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident, which happened at approximately 10:25 a.m.
The alert comes from NYPD Crime Stoppers, which is now asking the public for information that could help identify the man. The location sits in Brooklyn's Cypress Hills section near Georgia Avenue and Alabama Avenue, according to StreetEasy. The address falls within the confines of the NYPD's 75th Precinct, which patrols East New York, Cypress Hills, City Line, and Starrett City, per the 75th Precinct Community Council.
🚨WANTED FOR A FORCIBLE TOUCHING: On Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at approximately 10:25 AM, a 19-year-old female victim was exiting an MTA bus (B12) while in front of 2586 Fulton Street, confines of the 75 Precinct, when an unidentified male individual approached the victim and… pic.twitter.com/oNYuRYUC0e
— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) August 24, 2026
The spot where the alleged groping happened functions as a key transfer point for Brooklyn commuters. The B12 route runs between Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and East New York, ending its line along Fulton Street near Georgia and Alabama Avenues, where riders can connect to the elevated J/Z subway lines, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. That subway connection appears to be exactly where the suspect made his escape, vanishing on foot into the station after the encounter.
What Charges Could the Suspect Face
If identified and arrested, the man could be charged under New York Penal Law § 130.52, which classifies forcible touching as a Class A misdemeanor. The statute specifically defines nonconsensual touching of sexual or intimate parts — including squeezing, grabbing, or pinching — and contains a dedicated subsection addressing acts committed against passengers on public buses, trains, or subways, per the same law's text, as cited by the New York State Senate. A conviction on that charge carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail, up to three years of probation, or up to six years of probation if classified as a sex offense, according to Lebedin Kofman LLP.
Reward Money on the Table for Tips
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $3,500 for anonymous tips that lead to an arrest and indictment in the case. The program, run by the nonprofit New York City Police Foundation since 1983, has helped clear more than 5,600 violent crimes and paid out over $3.4 million in cash rewards over the years. Tipsters can reach Crime Stoppers through the English hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, the Spanish-language line at 1-888-57-PISTA, an online portal, or by direct message to @NYPDTips, and callers receive a confidential code number that lets them collect a reward without ever testifying in court.
Part of a Wider Pattern on Transit
The Cypress Hills case fits into a string of similar transit-groping alerts that have come out of the NYPD in recent months. Hoodline previously reported on a man accused of following a 16-year-old into an elevator and groping her, as well as separate cases involving a rider groped on a Brooklyn F train who fled at the Smith–Ninth Street station, and another sought after an alleged forcible touching at Manhattan's Port Authority. Citywide, transit crime complaints have ticked up slightly this year, with 1,368 incidents reported through August 16 compared to 1,360 over the same period in 2025, according to NYPD CompStat figures. Complaints in the broader category of “Other Sex Crimes” have stayed roughly flat citywide, with 3,425 reported so far this year against 3,420 during the same stretch in 2025.
No arrests have been announced in the Cypress Hills case, and it remains unclear whether investigators have recovered surveillance footage from nearby buses or subway turnstiles that might help identify the suspect. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
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