Police need the public’s help in finding three men responsible for a pair of street robberies in Flushing last month.
Law enforcement sources said the first caper took place at 11:30 p.m. on July 14 along the residential block of Blossom Avenue near Saull Street.
According to authorities, two unidentified individuals approached a 70-year-old man from behind, knocked him to the ground and removed a bag containing $470 in cash, four credit cards and a cellphone.
The crooks were seen entering a gray SUV that sped away westbound along Blossom Avenue, police noted.
Seventy minutes later, at 12:40 a.m. on July 15, two thieves similarly attacked at 55-year-old man in front of a home on 149th Place near Ash Avenue.
According to law enforcement sources, the bandits came at the victim from behind and knocked him to the ground. The fall left the man with a fractured left ankle; he was later treated at Flushing Hospital for his injuries.
Police said the crooks grabbed the victim’s cellphone and five credit cards and fled the scene inside a gray SUV that was last seen heading southbound on 149th Place.
Both incidents were reported to the 109th Precinct.
Detectives later learned that an individual attempted to use one of the second victim’s credit cards to buy gas at a Shell station located at 141-54 Northern Blvd. about 20 minutes after the robbery occurred. Police said the transaction was unsuccessful, and the suspect fled inside a gray 2010-2013 Nissan Rogue SUV.
The NYPD obtained images of the individual and the Nissan Rogue, which they released to the press on Aug. 12. Cops described him as aa black man with a beard and his hair in a ponytail, who was last seen wearing a white shirt, pink or red pants and multicolored sneakers.
Anyone with information regarding the robberies can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA), visit the Crime Stoppers website or send a direct message on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
