A malicious mugger has been preying on young boys in at least three robberies in Corona during the past couple of months.
Police from the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights are looking for a suspect who struck twice in broad daylight on Saturday, Jan. 14. At around 12:30 p.m., a 13-year-old boy was walking near the intersection of 34th Avenue and 102nd Street when he was approached by the perp who grabbed the victim and demanded his property while making verbal threats to harm him, police said. The youngster complied and handed over his cellphone. The bully ran off southbound on 102nd Street; the boy did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
Three hours later, a 15-year-old boy was walking near the Food Bazaar at Junction Boulevard and 37th Avenue when the suspect and an accomplice approached him. One of the men punched the victim while the other man demanded his property and then forcibly removed the boy’s cellphone before running off on foot in an unknown direction, police said. This time the youngster sustained a minor injury, but he didn’t require medical attention at the scene.
Just before Christmas, after 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22, a 13-year-old boy was walking near P.S. 92 at 34th Avenue and 100th Street. Police said the suspect approached the victim and demanded his property while appearing to have a knife in his pocket. The youngster compiled by handing over his cellphone to the suspect, who ran northbound on 99th Street. The victim was not injured during the incident.
The NYPD released surveillance photos of the suspect on Monday and described him as having a medium complexion and a thin mustache. He was wearing a black knit winter cap, a black jacket with a red hood, black pants, and black and red sneakers.
A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for information that leads to his arrest. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.
