VIDEO: Robbers Target Delivery Men In Spate Of E-Bike Thefts

WEST VILLAGE, NY — Police are searching for a pair of thieves who are targeting delivery men in a spate of Lower Manhattan e-bike robberies, police said.

The crooks have stolen five electric bikes within the span of a month, violently attacking delivery men in neighborhoods across Lower Manhattan, cops said.

The spree of thefts kicked off in the West Village on Oct. 21 when the robbers approached a 28-year-old delivery man in front of 232 W. 11 St., shoved him to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the face and body, authorities said. The men fled on the man's bike.

First responders removed the victim to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

Nearly two weeks later on Oct. 30, the bike bandits struck again, this time in the East Village in front of 56 St. Mark's Place where one thief approached a 36-year-old delivery man and punched him in the face, officials said.

Authorities said a struggle ensued as the robbers tried to wrestle the bicycle from him, but the delivery man fought them off. Instead, the thieves made off with the man's cell phone and escaped east on St. Marks Place.

Some three weeks passed before the bike thieves returned to the West Village on Nov. 18 in front of 31 Jane St., this time going after a 47-year-old delivery man with a knife. The crooks managed to grab the bike after struggling with the victim and punching him in the face, police said.

Two days later on Nov. 20, the bike brutes robbed another East Village delivery man in front of 8 E. 22 St. The 26-year-old victim tried to fight the thieves off, but they punched him several times in the face, making off with his bike, $400, his cell phone and even the food he was delivering, police said.

Medics transported the victim to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

The next day, on Nov. 21, the robbers mugged two delivery men in the West Village and the Lower East Side within an hour. After flashing a knife and shoving a 20-year-old to the ground, the men stole the victim's e-bike in front of 201 W. 18 St before swiping another bike from a 32-year-old delivery man in front of 262 Bowery.

Police describe both thieves as 20- to 25-years-old and roughly five-eight to more than six-feet tall.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Photos and video courtesy of NYPD