A man approached a 31-year-old woman from behind in front of 1276 Gerard Avenue on Saturday, July 25, 2026, smacked her buttocks, and fled on foot to parts unknown, according to an alert from NYPD Crime Stoppers. The attack happened in broad daylight, at approximately 1:12 p.m.
The incident occurred outside a building on the 1200 block of Gerard Avenue, according to NYPD Crime Stoppers
, which is now asking the public for information that could help identify the suspect. The location sits in the 10452 ZIP code and is identified as being in Concourse, per
Wikipedia
. The address falls within the patrol territory of the NYPD's 44th Precinct, headquartered at 2 East 169th Street, which covers roughly 1.97 square miles across the southwest Bronx, according to
NYC.gov
.
No description of the suspect beyond his gender has been released. The alert states only that the unidentified male approached the victim from behind before smacking her and running off, with his direction of flight unknown.
What Charges Could Apply
Under New York Penal Law § 130.52, forcible touching is classified as a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, according to Buffalo Criminal Lawyers. The statute is defined as intentionally touching the sexual or intimate parts of another person without consent to degrade, abuse, or achieve sexual gratification.
New York's highest court has already weighed in on this type of contact. In *People v. Guaman* (2014), the New York Court of Appeals affirmed that non-consensual bodily contact involving physical pressure applied to intimate body parts can satisfy the statutory definition of forcible touching, per Justia Law. Prosecutors would still need to prove the contact was intentional and lacked any legitimate purpose.
Investigators do not have unlimited time to make an arrest. Under New York Criminal Procedure Law § 30.10, law enforcement and prosecutors face a strict two-year statute of limitations from the date of the incident to file misdemeanor forcible touching charges against an adult suspect, according to Konta Georges & Buza P.C. The incident occurred on July 25, 2026.
A Pattern Along the Same Corridor
This is not the first daytime street crime to draw a public police appeal along Gerard Avenue this year. In June 2026, a suspect punched a 64-year-old man in the face near East 149th Street and Gerard Avenue before stealing his bicycle, a case Hoodline covered in its report, NYPD Seeks Bicycle Thief. NYPD Crime Stoppers issued public alerts seeking information in both incidents.
Borough-wide crime figures provide additional context for crime in the area.
How to Submit a Tip
NYPD Crime Stoppers is offering up to $3,500 for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.
Tipsters can submit information anonymously.
Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), through the Crime Stoppers website, or by direct message to @NYPDTips on X. Spanish-speaking callers can reach a dedicated intake line at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), which operates alongside the primary English hotline to serve non-English speakers across the city.
