3 teens in custody, 1 sought in Central Park mugging as robberies up 200%
MANHATTAN, New York City (WABC) -- A group of teens is in police custody after allegedly mugging three people in Central Park as statistics from NYPD show robberies in the park are on the rise.
It happened around 1 a.m. Tuesday at Grand Army Plaza at 59th and Fifth Avenue.
The suspects approached the victims, with one apparently motioning simulating they had a gun. They are accused of mugging three victims, ages 35, 21 and 15, of their AirPods and a chain.
The teens fled, but police caught up with three of them nearby on 57th Street.
Charges are pending against the three suspects, ages 17, 16 and 14. A fourth teen is still being sought.
No firearm was recovered, and victims said they never actually saw one.
Robberies are up 200% in Central Park this year with 30 reported, versus 10 at this point last year.
Also, there have been 10 felonious assaults versus seven at this point last year for a 42.9% increase.
Major crime is up 46%. There have been 73 incidents in 2024, while in 2023, there were 50.
Drones could be soon hovering over Central Park, as Mayor Eric Adams explores new technology to make parkgoers feel safe.
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday acknowledged the troubling numbers and said they are looking at new technology like drones and they will roll it out when the time is right.
"When something happens in Central Park, it becomes a huge international story, we are on top of it and the commissioner is responding accordingly," Adams said.
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