Harlem cell phone thieves take automatically-uploaded selfies

NEW YORK

Police say the men took selfies on one of the stolen phones that were automatically uploaded to the victim's photo-sharing account.

The men, believed to be 18 to 23 years old, are accused of robbing at least four people in Harlem last July and September of 2013.

The first incident happened just before 4 a.m. on July 29 when a 55-year-old man was walking into his building and the suspects approached him, simulated a gun and demanded his property. The victim complied, and the suspects fled with the victim's money and phone. There were no reported injuries.

The struck again just before midnight the same day, robbing a 29-year-old man in the vicinity of Eighth Avenue and West 116th Street.

Then on September 19, just before 8 p.m., a 17-year-old man was walking in front of his residence when the suspects approached him and forcibly removed money and his MetroCard from his pocket.

Finally, around 10:30 p.m. on September 24, an 18-year-old man was robbed while walking in the vicinity of Seventh Avenue and West 117th Street. The suspects approached him, simulated a gun and demanded his phone.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.

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