July 12, 2024 By Bill Parry
A 27-year-old man was beaten and robbed by five men as he walked along Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights at night last month.
The suspect snatched a pricey gold chain from the victim. Police from the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights were able to catch one of the perps, but four of the suspects who attacked him remain at large more than four weeks later.
The victim was walking past the Star Motors parking lot at around 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, when he was set upon by the five strangers, who proceeded to strike him multiple times in the head with blunt objects. One of the assailants allegedly pulled out a knife and threatened to stab the victim if he did not comply, while another forcibly removed the victim’s gold necklace, valued at approximately $1,500, police said.
The suspects ran off into the night in an unknown direction. EMS responded to the crime scene and transported the victim to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. One of his assailants was taken into custody after the attack, while the other four got away.
The NYPD released surveillance images on Thursday that show the four men who eluded capture that night. All four are described as having light complexions and slim builds.
The first wanted man has a tattoo on his left calf and was last seen wearing a black Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap, white t-shirt, black Nike shorts with an oversized swoosh logo and white sneakers. The second suspect wore a black baseball cap, a white t-shirt, multi-colored shorts and white sneakers. The third man wore a navy blue New York Yankees baseball cap, a gray t-shirt with darker fabric on both shoulders, black shorts, white sneakers and a black cross-shoulder bag. The fourth perpetrator wore a black Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap, a black mask, a white t-shirt, black Nike sweatpants, black sneakers and a black fanny pack slung over his shoulder.
A reward of up to $3,5000 is being offered for information that leads to their arrest.
Anyone with information regarding this robbery is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crime stoppers.nypd online.org, or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
Through July 7, the 115th Precinct has reported 221 robberies so far in 2024, 66 more than the 155 reported at the same point last year, an increase of 42.6%, according to the most recent CompStat report. Assaults are also on the rise in the 115th Precinct with 239 reported so far this year, 80 more than the 239 reported at the same point in 2023, an increase of 33.5%, according to CompStat.