Masked Sneaker Thieves Wanted In East New York Home Invasion

EAST NEW YORK, BROOKLYN — Four armed masked men stole valuable sneakers and money from an East New York apartment last week after beating and tying up people inside, police said.

The four men first attacked a 30-year-old man at gunpoint who was leaving his apartment near Vandalia Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue around 4:30 p.m. on April 23, police said.

The group, brandishing guns, punched the man several times, bound his hands with zip ties and took $25 and the keys to his apartment from his pockets, police said.

The robbers dragged the man to the apartment, where they found two men, ages 20 and 22, and a 21-year-old woman, police said. They moved all three into the bedroom at gunpoint, beat up the two men and zip-tied all their hands behind their backs, according to police.

The men ransacked the apartment and took clothing, $30 and two pairs of sneakers worth $1,000, police said.

The four victims freed themselves from the zip ties before an ambulance took the three men to Brookdale Hospital, where they were treated and then released, the NYPD said.

Police are still searching for the four men, two of whom were caught on a surveillance camera. They're all described as black men between 20 and 30 years old.

One stands 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-9 and was last seen wearing a black jacket, blue jeans and brown boots. The second stands about 5-foot-8 with a slim build and was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt and sweatpants and red sneakers.

The third man stands about 6-foot-3 and weighs more than 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and sweatpants and black sneakers.

The fourth stands about 5-foot-7 and weighs about 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black Nike sweatshirt, black sweatpants and gray sneakers.

Anyone with information about the incident can call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-8477 or 1-888-577-4782 to leave a tip in Spanish. New Yorkers can also text tips to 274637 or submit them online at nypdcrimestoppers.com.

(Lead image: Police are searching for these two men who they say were among a group of four that is accused of robbing four people in East New York last week. Photos courtesy of the NYPD)