A man followed a 20-year-old woman into the elevator of her Allerton apartment building late Friday night, then punched her in the face, groped her and ran off with her cellphone, according to police. The attack happened just before 11:30 p.m. near Mace and Bronxwood Avenues, and investigators are now searching for the suspect.
Police say the man trailed the victim into the elevator before the assault began, according to News12 New York. He grabbed her intimate parts, punched her in the face, and snatched her phone before fleeing the scene, per the outlet's account of the police report. Investigators said the woman did not suffer serious injuries in the attack.
Suspect Description Released by NYPD
Police describe the man as approximately 26 years old, standing 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 125 pounds, with brown eyes, the outlet reports. He was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue pants, blue shoes and a blue baseball hat.
New York law defines intentionally touching another person's sexual or intimate parts without consent to degrade, abuse or achieve sexual gratification as Forcible Touching, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in jail and up to six years of probation, per Dupée & Monroe PC.
Second Elevator Robbery in the Precinct This Year
Elevator Robbery Reported Earlier This Year On August 5, a 77-year-old man was robbed at knifepoint stepping off a Pelham Parkway elevator, also within the 49th Precinct.
Multi-family residential buildings with self-service elevators are required under New York State Multiple Dwelling Law and New York City Housing Maintenance Code to maintain a mirror inside each elevator cab so riders can view the interior before entering, according to the New York Attorney General. Whether building surveillance video or an elevator mirror captured any images of the suspect in this case remains an open question, and it is not yet known whether detectives are looking into ties between this attack and other recent interior robberies reported in the precinct.
Robbery Complaints Climbing in the 49th Precinct
Robbery complaints in the 49th Precinct have risen sharply this year, climbing 18.6% year-to-date from 161 incidents in 2025 to 191 in 2026 through early August, according to NYPD CompStat data.
The uptick follows a longer-term shift for a precinct historically regarded as one of the Bronx's quieter beats. Total major index crimes in the 49th Precinct rose 6.84% in 2025 compared to 2024, reaching 2,266 reported incidents driven largely by increases in robbery, burglary and grand larceny auto, according to Best in the Bronx.
Police are urging anyone with information about the Allerton elevator attack to contact the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline. Tips submitted anonymously through the 1-800-577-TIPS hotline or the Crime Stoppers online portal that lead to an arrest and indictment can carry a reward of up to $3,500, according to the New York City Police Foundation. No arrest has been announced in connection with the case.
