Police are looking for a trio who are responsible for a number of cellphone thefts in Flushing.
According to police, at 8 p.m. on June 29, a 19-year-old male victim was in front of 47-67 Colden St. when he was approached by an unknown man who asked to use his cellphone. The victim declined, and shortly after the suspect grabbed the victim’s phone and fled in an unknown direction. There were no reported injuries as a result of the incident.
Cops described the thief as a black man between the ages of 14 and 18 years old, standing between 5 feet, 4 inches tall and 5 feet, 6 inches tall, with a short afro and a thin build. This suspect would later continue his streak of cellphone thievery throughout the neighborhood.
Two days later, on July 1, an 18-year-old woman was on the corner of Cherry Avenue and Main Street when she was approached from behind by the suspect. Authorities said the perpetrator then pushed the woman to the ground and took her cellphone before fleeing southbound on Main Street.
The victim sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention on scene.
Law enforcement sources said the third incident took place on July 10 at 3 p.m., when the bandit approached a 56-year-old woman on the corner of 160th Street and Laburnum Avenue and grabbed her cellphone, which was sticking out of her purse. The thief then fled in an unknown direction.
Later that same day, the crook approached a 28-year-old woman behind in front of 140-26 Cherry Ave. The perpetrator then grabbed the victim’s cellphone and fled eastbound on Cherry Avenue in unknown direction. There were no reported injuries in either incident.
At 2:26 p.m. on July 18, an 18-year-old man was in front of the 137-63 Juniper Ave. when was approached by two men, one of whom matched the description of the suspect above, who asked him for the time. The perpetrators then pushed the victim to the ground and punched him about his body while attempting to remove property from his pockets. The suspects then fled the scene on Juniper Avenue toward Kissena Boulevard.
The victim sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention on scene.
At 3 p.m. that same day, a 16-year-old man was standing across the street from 140-49 Rose Ave. when he was approached by three men, two of whom matched the above descriptions of the previous suspects, who asked to use his cellphone. The victim complied and the suspects fled westbound on Rose Avenue toward Kissena Boulevard. There were no injuries reported as a result of this incident.
The two suspects, who joined the first suspect in the last two incidents, are described as Hispanic men between the ages of 14 and 18 years old, standing between 5 feet, 4 inches and 5 feet, 6 inches tall with a thin build.
Police released the following photos of the two suspects from the fifth incident:
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.
