Aug. 1, 2016 By Staff Report
The police are searching for a serial cell phone thief who has struck 12 times in the past month, targeting victims while riding his bicycle around Jackson Heights and adjacent areas.
The suspect first struck on June 25 at 11 pm, when he rode past a 45-year-old woman in the vicinity of Elmhurst Ave and 92nd Street and snatched her iPhone 6 from her hand, according to police.
He struck again just a day later on June 26 at 2:30 am near 92nd Street and 37th Ave, when he swiped a 36-year-old man’s iPhone 6 from his pocket, police said. The suspect fled on his bicycle towards Roosevelt Ave.
The suspect, who appeared to take a break for two weeks, then reappeared allegedly swiping a phone on July 8th at 1:45 am on the southeast corner of 37th Ave and 99th Street. He approached a 46-year-old man, grabbed his iPhone 5 and fled the location, this time on foot, according to the NYPD.
Just days later he was back at it. On July 10th at 11:10 pm he rode past a 29-year-old man who was at 94-35 37th Ave and pinched the victim’s phone from his back pocket. The victim, however, managed to kick the back tire of the bike as the suspect was fleeing, causing the suspect to drop the phone. The suspect fled southbound on 95th Street without the phone, police said.
He then took some time off before striking on three consecutive days.
First, on July 16 at 4:30 am he grabbed a 31-year-old man’s iPhone 6 on the northwest corner of 37th Ave and Junction Blvd.
On July 17th at 4:30 am he swiped a Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge from a 19-year-old man’s hand on the northeast corner of 35th Ave and 93rd Street.
He then snatched a 65-year-old man’s iPhone on the southwest corner of 37th Ave and 74th Street on July 18th at 1 am.
He has stuck five more times since July 20th.
First, on July 20th at 1:30 am he grabbed a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 from a 34-year-old man’s hand, in front of 95-11 Roosevelt Ave.
On July 22nd at 11 pm he grabbed a Samsung Galaxy 6H from a 24-year-old man’s hand while he was on the southwest corner of 37th Ave and Warren Street.
On July 28th at 11:35 pm, he nabbed a Samsung Galaxy 6H from a 43-year-old man’s hand as he rode past him on the northwest corner of 104th Street and 37th Ave.
On July 29th he struck in front of 72-12 Northern Blvd at 7:10 pm, grabbing a Samsung Note 4 from as 46-year-old man, as the suspect rode past him on his bicycle, police said.
He last struck on July 30th, at 1:10 am, in front of 34-23 103rd Street. He rode past a 30-year-old man and snatched his Samsung Galaxy Edge 6 from his hand, before fleeing towards Roosevelt Ave, according to the NYPD.
Police have released a surveillance video form the last incident and are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
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