Necklace Thieves Sought In String Of West Side Heists: Police

MIDTOWN, NY – Police released photos on Tuesday evening of several individuals they’re looking for in connection with a string of recent necklace robberies on the Upper West Side and in Midtown.

In all, cops are looking for five men, who are connected to a series of incidents.

On Monday, Aug. 5 shortly before 8:30 p.m., a 64-year-old woman was approached from behind by two unknown individuals riding a motorized scooter, police said.

The assailants forcibly removed a necklace from the woman’s neck and shoved her to the ground, according to police, before scooting uptown along Amsterdam Avenue. The victim was transported to Mount Sinai West Hospital in stable condition, according to authorities.

About a week later, on Sunday, Aug. 11 just before 4:15 p.m., a 25-year-old woman was approached from behind by two unidentified individuals on an electric bicycle near 50th Street and 8th Avenue, police said.

She too had a necklace forcibly removed, according to authorities, before being pushed to the ground. No injuries were reported, police said.

Finally, on Saturday, Sept. 7 at about 7:30 p.m., a 22-year-old woman was approached by two unidentified assailants – again on an electric bicycle – near 47th Street and 8th Avenue, police said.

The two individuals forcibly removed a necklace from her neck, before fleeing southbound on 8th Avenue, police said. There were no injuries reported, according to authorities.

Ricardo Alejandro Salazar Contreras, a 26-year-old man, was arrested on Sept. 11 in connection with this third incident, a police spokesperson confirmed. Contreras, who was charged with grand larceny, a felony, gave police 45 East 45th Street – the Roosevelt Hotel, which is currently operating as a migrant shelter – as his address.

All five of the individuals sought are men, according to police.

The first man was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, black shorts, white flip flops, and carrying a black cross-body bag, police said.

The second man was last seen wearing a gray t-shirt and black shorts, cops said.

A third man, depicted above, was last seen wearing sunglasses, a white hat, gray sweatshirt, red shorts, and gray sneakers, police said. He was also carrying a black backpack, according to police.

A fourth man, depicted below, was last seen wearing a white hat, a white t-shirt, green shorts, white flip flops, police said. He too was carrying a black cross-body bag, cops said.

Finally, a fifth man, depicted below, was last seen wearing a red hat, white t-shirt, blue jeans, gray sneakers, and was also carrying a black cross-body bag, according to police.

Anyone with information in regard to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). All calls are strictly confidential.