Police are seeking the public’s help in finding three teen robbers who are wanted in connection with thefts around Astoria on a single day.
On July 27 at 11:45 a.m., police responded to a report that three unidentified individuals approached a 15-year-old boy on a bicycle in front of 23-38 Broadway.
According to law enforcement sources, the three produced a knife and pushed the boy to the ground. The victim resisted the trio’s attempts to forcibly take his bike, but they had managed to take the teen’s iPhone 6S Plus that had fallen to the ground during the scuffle. The suspects fled westbound on Broadway and left the teen with a minor laceration on his right shin.
At 5:25 p.m. on the same day, the trio entered the Rite Aid at 32-87 Steinway St. and attempted to leave the store with three stolen umbrellas. When a 50-year-old male employee tried stopping them, they struck him with the umbrellas and punched him in the face. They fled northbound on Steinway Street with the stolen goods. The victim sustained minor injuries but refused medical attention.
Twenty minutes later, at approximately 5:45 p.m., the three hailed a yellow cab on Steinway Street, between Broadway and 34th Avenue. As they were being dropped off in front of 1-05 Astoria Blvd., the trio allegedly threatened the 42-year-old cab driver with a knife and took $81 cash from the center console. They then fled on foot inside of 1-20 Astoria Blvd. Police sources said that the driver was not injured.
The NYPD said the suspects as black males ranging in age from 15 to 19 years old and their descriptions are as follows:
The first teen is about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 145 pounds with a medium complexion and a slim build. He was last seen wearing a red du-rag, a black Metallica T-shirt, black pants and black sneakers.
The second teen is also about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 145 pounds with a medium complexion and a slim build. He was last seen wearing a black du-rag, glasses, a black “I Prevail” T-shirt, black shorts and black sneakers.
The third teen is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, 190 pounds with a medium complexion, a medium build and close-cut black hair. He was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, black pants and white sneakers.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 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.
