Police from two North Queens precincts are looking for three suspects who beat and robbed two men five days apart in recent weeks.
The first incident occurred on the night of Friday, Feb. 14, in the confines of the 109th Precinct in Flushing. Two of the suspects arranged to meet with a 34-year-old victim at Barclay Avenue and Kissena Boulevard at 7 p.m. to exchange currency. One of the robbers blasted the man in his eyes with pepper spray, and they both punched and kicked him multiple times in the face, causing a broken nose and lacerations to his face, police said. They forcibly removed his bag containing a cell phone and $8,000 in cash, according to an NYPD spokesman. The duo ran off, traveling southbound on Kissena Boulevard toward Sanford Avenue. EMS responded to the crime scene and transported the injured victim to New York-Presbyterian Queens Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
The second incident occurred in the confines of the 107th Precinct in Fresh Meadows just before noon on Wednesday, Feb. 9, when the two robbers were joined by a third man and arranged to meet a 39-year-old victim inside a Starbucks at 61051 188th St. to sell them a Rolex watch. The three perpetrators proceeded to punch the victim in his face repeatedly and snatched the Rolex watch box from him. The suspects jumped into a car and drove off. They were last seen about two miles away at Kissena Boulevard and Horace Harding Expressway. The victim sustained minor injuries, but he was not hospitalized. The NYPD spokesman could not say how much the stolen Rolex was valued, but the luxury wristwatches cost between $10,800 and $47,000.
The NYPD released surveillance images of the suspects in a Fresh Meadows convenience store and described one of them as having a slim build and dark complexion, wearing a long black coat, black pants, white Nike sneakers, and navy and gray gloves. The second suspect is described as having a medium build and a light complexion, wearing a black North Face winter jacket over a black hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants, and white sneakers. The third man has a heavy build and light complexion, wearing a black winter jacket, black pants, black sneakers, and a blue mask.
A reward of up to $3,500 is offered for information leading to their arrest.
Anyone with information regarding this robbery investigation is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are confidential.
Through Feb. 23, the 109th Precinct has reported 27 robberies so far in 2025, 26 fewer than the 53 reported at the same point last year, a decline of 49.1%, according to the most recent CompStat report. Felony assaults in the precinct are on the rise, with 62 reported so far this year, four more than the 58 reported at the same point in 2024, an increase of 6.9%, according to CompStat.
Through Feb. 23, the 107th Precinct has reported 16 robberies so far in 2025, one more than the 15 reported at the same point last year, an increase of 6.7%, according to CompStat. The precinct also reported 30 felony assaults so far this year, nine fewer than the 39 reported at the same point in 2024, a decline of 23.1%, according to CompStat.
