Police Seek Group of Teens Wanted in 5 Central Park Robberies

CENTRAL PARK, NY — A group of young men wanted in connection with a vicious assault and robbery of an 86-year-old man from the Upper East Side has now been connected to four other crimes, police said Wednesday.

The first incident, which took place on Sept. 15, involved an 86-year-old man and his wife, who were accosted and robbed of $20 while entering Central Park near 76th Street and East Drive at 12:35 a.m. The elderly man was grabbed by his collar and thrown to the ground after the couple turned down a request for money from the suspect.

The NYPD believes the same men are responsible for four other attacks in the park, including two on Oct. 7 and two more on Oct. 10.

The first attack on Oct. 7 took place at 3:10 p.m. when one suspect tried to grab an iPhone from a 60-year-old in a pedicab near Transverse Road No. 1 at 65th Street, police said. He was not successful. The second attack that day came at 11:20 p.m. when one of the suspects punched a 21-year-old man in the back of the head near East 69th Street and stole his cellphone and tablet, police said.

Three days later, the suspects tried to rip the backpack off a cyclist at 12:03 a.m. on Fifth Avenue near 102nd Street. Police said the rider fell off his bike and suffered minor injuries to his face, but no property was stolen. Just seven minutes later, the same group approached a 47-year-old man on a Citi Bike near 95th Street, punched him in the face and made off with his iPhone 7.

The suspects are described as being about 16 to 18 years old.

Photo Credit: NYPD