Manhattan Moped Gang Swiping Pricey Apple Headphones From NYers: Cops

NEW YORK CITY — A mob of moped miscreants is swiping pricey Apple headphones from the heads of unsuspecting pedestrians across Manhattan, police said.

At least 21 incidents have unfolded in recent weeks in which men on mopeds ride up behind people and grab their $500 AirPod Max headphones, authorities said.

The thieves appear to be four men who ride mopeds — one red and one black, NYPD officials said. One man drives the moped while another riding on the back swipes the headphones, police said.

The first theft unfolded Jan. 28 about 5:30 p.m. at Ninth Avenue and West 26th Street, authorities said. From there, the thieves have fanned across Manhattan and struck sometimes multiple times in a day, police said.

Surveillance video caught two of them after a Feb. 10 incident in which they swiped headphones from a 20-year-old woman near Rutherford Place and East 16th Street, authorities said.

The video from Washington Square South and LaGuardia Place shows a man with curly black hair, a medium build and a black bubble jacket and black pants walk into Washington Square Park with two pairs of AirPod Max headphones. Another man with a slim build, a black helmet, a black hooded jacket, black pants and tan shoes drives a moped into the park, the video shows.

This isn’t the only time recently that NYPD officials have warned about a thief or thieves stealing Apple products from New Yorkers on the street.

Last week, police asked for help identifying a man who swiped Apple products, bags and wallets from people across Manhattan and Brooklyn.

In all cases, police ask people with information to call NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). They can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.