Fruit Cart Vendors Robbed On Manhattan's East Side, Police Say

NEW YORK, NY — The NYPD is trying to identify four people wanted for robbing fruit cart vendor's in a number of east side neighborhoods in Manhattan, police said.

Four fruit cart vendors were robbed by the group of teenagers during the month of December, police said. The robberies occurred in Murray Hill, the Upper East Side and East Harlem, police said.

The group of robbers used the same method to rob each vendor, police said. One of the robbers would approach the vendor and grab cash out of the fruit seller's pocket, while the rest of the teenagers would then aid in the getaway by either holding back the vendor or tripping them, police said.

Here are the details regarding each theft:

• On Dec. 7 the group of teens stole $415 in cash from a fruit vendor on Third Avenue between East 37th and 38th streets. The fruit vendor was tripped to the ground as he chased after the robbers, police said.
• On Dec. 14 the group of teens stole $150 in cash from a fruit vendor on East 96th Street and Third Avenue.
• On Dec. 15 the group of teens stole $95 in cash from a fruit vendor on York Avenue and East 86th Street.
• On Dec. 15 the group of teens stole $98 in cash from a fruit vendor on Second Avenue and East 97th street.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Photos by NYPD