Three unknown men allegedly robbed 10 people across a one-square-mile stretch of Jamaica, Queens over a four-week span this summer, targeting victims as young as 14 and as old as 69 for their cash, cellphones, jewelry and wallets. Police say the suspects, working alone or in groups of up to three, struck repeatedly between August 4 and August 28, sometimes shoving or punching victims and in several cases brandishing weapons to force people to hand over their belongings.
The NYPD is now searching for the three men accused of the spree, according to PIX11, which reported that the group forcibly took wallets, cellphones, jewelry or cash in six of the incidents. In other cases, police say victims handed over their belongings while held at gunpoint or knifepoint, and some sustained minor injuries during the confrontations. NYPD Crime Stoppers released surveillance images of one suspect on September 2, capping what Patch described as a four-week investigation into the pattern.
A Teen, a Senior, and Everyone in Between
The spree's youngest target was a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly approached by two of the suspects attempting to steal his cellphone; the group ran off only after the boy screamed, per PIX11's reporting. Other incidents described by police included one suspect allegedly pushing a 44-year-old man to the ground and another allegedly punching a 42-year-old man in the head during a separate robbery.
The costliest single theft targeted the oldest victim in the pattern. Per Patch's reporting, the three suspects forcibly stole a ring and a necklace valued at $3,000 from a 69-year-old man, making it one of the highest-value thefts of the spree. Citing NYPD estimates, the same outlet reports the trio made off with upwards of $4,000 in total cash, jewelry, and personal belongings across the ten incidents.
Jamaica's Latest Robbery Pattern
Jamaica falls under the jurisdiction of the NYPD's 103rd and 113th Precincts, which patrol the dense Jamaica Avenue commercial corridor and the surrounding residential blocks, respectively, according to Vertex Security. It remains unclear whether either precinct has increased foot or vehicle patrols along Jamaica Avenue in response to the spree, and police have not said whether the suspects live in the area or whether recovered evidence connects them to other nearby crime patterns.
This is not the only robbery pattern to hit Jamaica this year. In mid-August, two armed suspects carried out a five-day sideswipe robbery spree across Queens that included a mugging on Linden Boulevard in Jamaica, stealing more than $150,000 in luxury vehicles and Rolex watches, as FOX 5 New York reported at the time — a case Hoodline covered in its own armed duo sideswipe robbery report. Back in April, a separate six-incident spree involving a single gunman on a bicycle hit small businesses and pedestrians across South Ozone Park, South Richmond Hill and Jamaica, netting roughly $5,900 in stolen cash and property, according to Hoodline's earlier coverage of the bike-riding bandit's robbery spree.
What Charges the Suspects Could Face
If the three men are caught, the presence of firearms or knives in several of the incidents means they could face Robbery in the First Degree under New York Penal Law Section 160.15, a Class B violent felony that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 25 years, according to the Law Firm of Andrew M. Stengel. Incidents in which the theft was carried out with the help of another person present could instead be charged as Robbery in the Second Degree under Section 160.10, which carries a mandatory minimum of 3.5 years and up to 15 years, per the Fast Law Firm, P.C. No arrests have been announced in connection with the spree.
A Local Spike Against a Citywide Decline
The Jamaica spree stands out against the broader citywide trend. NYPD CompStat data for the week ending August 30 shows citywide robbery complaints down 12 percent year-to-date compared to 2025, falling from 10,068 to 8,863 incidents. Even so, small clusters of assailants continue to exploit tightly confined areas like Jamaica's one-square-mile footprint, where ten people were targeted in under a month.
Anyone with information is asked to contact NYPD Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or by text by texting 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers can also contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
