Cops have arrested one member of a trio of crooks responsible for a recent robbery on a Sunnyside street corner and a series of violent incidents in Sunnyside and Long Island City.
Captain Michael Gibbs, commander of the 108th Precinct, tweeted on March 23 that the 104th Precinct Detective Squad made the arrest of a man allegedly connected to the pattern. “Further arrests are expected,” he added.
According to police, at 10:50 p.m. on March 9, a 62-year-old man was near Burger King, located at 40-15 Queens Blvd., when he was approached by the three male suspects. The terrible trio then sprayed silly string in the victim’s face and then proceeded to multiple times in the head and back with a belt.
Authorities said the assailants fled the scene in the an unknown direction. The victim sustained bruising to the head but refused medical attention at the scene.
Cops said the next incident took place on March 16. At 2 a.m. that day, a 21-year-old man was spray-painting cars at the corner of 39th Avenue and 46th Street when the three approached. After the victim acknowledged the men, law enforcement sources noted, the suspects punched the victim multiple times in the face before fleeing; the victim suffered lacerations and bruises.
Finally, police said, at 1:20 a.m. on March 18, a 45-year-old man was walking to work on Review Avenue in Long Island City when the trio came up to him and slashed and stabbed him. The assailants then took the victim’s cellphone, wallet and backpack before fleeing in unknown direction.
The victim suffered multiple lacerations to his head and back. EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to Elmhurst Hospital Center in serious but stable condition.
On March 19, the NYPD released additional video of the suspects:
Anyone with information in regard to the identity of these males 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 on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
This story was updated on March 23 at 1:40 p.m. Robert Pozarycki contributed to this report.
