Police are searching for a suspect in a rash of robberies on Manhattan’s East Side.
The man is suspected of at least nine robberies since May 19 in which he simulated a firearm, said police, who released images of a suspect on Friday. The suspect often uses a CitiBike to approach his victims and flee, according to police.
The man attacked his first victim on May 19 around 2:30 a.m. near E 24th St. and 2nd Ave., according to police, when he showed up on a CitiBike and demanded a credit card from a 25-year-old man. years. In that incident, the suspect said he had a gun.
About eight hours later, at 10:15 a.m., the suspect broke into a store on 2nd Ave., near 38th St., and pointed a gun before leaving with $200 from the cash register. He fled on a CitiBike heading north, according to police.
The same man struck again the following Tuesday around 2:35 a.m. at Broadway and W. 86th St., but was unable to take anything from the 52-year-old male victim.
On May 23, again at about 2:05 a.m., the suspect implied he had a gun and threatened to shoot before taking $250 from the register at a store on Lexington Ave. near 85th St.
In the fifth incident, on May 26, the suspect approached a 17-year-old at Avenue A and E. 3rd St. in the East Village on a CitiBike and demanded his money. He left, but returned and took $35 from the teen at about 7:05 a.m.
Thirty minutes later and about 30 blocks away, the suspect again simulated a gun and took $200 from a store on 2nd Ave., near E. 35th St.
Shortly after 8 a.m., the suspect struck again, demanding money from a 28-year-old man walking on Lexington Avenue near E. 95th St, before taking off on a CitiBike.
Two days later, on May 28, at about 3:46 a.m., the suspect went to a store at 3rd Ave. and E. 106th St., displaying the outline of a firearm and making off with $300, deputies said .
At 5:50 a.m. the same morning, he was unable to get money from the register at a store on 3rd Ave., near 57th St.
Officers say they are looking for a man about 6 feet tall, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black hat, black sneakers and blue pants.
Burglaries have increased slightly in northern Manhattan year-to-date, with 820 this year compared to 704 in 2023. In the lower part of the neighborhood, robberies are down 13 percent, from 701 this time last year to 610 so far in 2024.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by visiting the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/or on Twitter @NYPDTips.
