Detectives need the public’s help in finding a robbery crew that posed as police officers in order to search and steal property from victims in two recent incidents in northern Queens.
Law enforcement sources said the first robbery in the pattern occurred at 4:10 a.m. on the morning of July 16 in front of a location on 110th Street between 34th and 37th avenues in North Corona.
According to police, the 26-year-old male victim was walking on the sidewalk when an SUV pulled up, and an unidentified man exited and approached him. The male suspect told the victim that he was a police officer, then rifled through his pockets.
Authorities said a second perpetrator then exited the SUV and approached the victim as the search transpired. The first robber took the victim’s iPhone and wallet, which contained $30 in cash and a bank card. The suspects then returned to the SUV, which took off.
Police said the second incident occurred at 12:30 a.m. on the morning of July 28 at the corner of 99th Street and 35th Avenue. As in the first incident, the three suspects jumped out of an SUV and approached a 43-year-old man.
Law enforcement sources said one of the perpetrators displayed a badge as he stopped the victim. He then searched his pockets and removed $40 in cash. The group then returned to the SUV, which fled the scene.
Both incidents were reported to the 115th Precinct; neither victim was injured.
Two of the crooks were identified as white or Hispanic males between 19 and 25 years of age, while the third perpetrator is described as a black male between 19 and 25 years old. They were last seen in a light-colored SUV, possibly a Ford Escape.
On Aug. 2, police released security camera footage of the SUV from a residence located near the scene of the first robbery.
Anyone with information in regards 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). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
