NYPD video captures dramatic end to robbery spree across NYC boroughs
have arrested two suspects who they say committed six separate robberies overnight in multiple New York City boroughs.
BRONX, New York (WABC) -- New video shows the moment NYPD officers closed in on a pair of serial robbery suspects overnight on Tuesday.
Video from an NYPD helicopter captured the high-speed crash, followed by two suspects who attempted to escape on foot.
Within minutes, officers on the ground would end a reign of terror that spanned three boroughs over a couple of hours.
The NYPD released the footage on Wednesday and recognized the officers who made the arrests.
"These young cops, midnight cops all working together, hearing each other speak, we have our aviation units, our eye in the sky, you have our highway people out there all converging, talking together and working as one," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said.
The suspects, 24-year-old Carlos Perez and 34-year-old Alvin Velez, have long criminal records and were both were on parole. Police expressed frustration that the two had been arrested several times while on parole.
"We don't violate their parole, they're out on the street, right through three boroughs, pointing guns at people, pistol whipping people, we're lucky something more serious didn't happen, they should not have been out on the street," NYPD Chief of Detectives James Essig said.
The pair allegedly committed at least six robberies: three in Queens, one in Brooklyn and two in Manhattan between midnight and 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
The victims, who were robbed of phones, cash and jewelry, described a black firearm being used, which police said matches a ghost gun recovered inside the crashed vehicle, a white Toyota Sienna minivan.
At the time of the arrest, Perez boasted that he would be out again soon.
"I'll be out on bail in 24 hours, I'll be out on bail," he said.
However, that's not the case. One of the robberies was at a food truck near NYU in Lower Manhattan. The NYPD said the men will be charged with federal crimes.
"We look for the biggest bang for the buck on the prosecution we're going to get," Essig said. "In this particular case they robbed a commercial food truck, it fit the federal standards."
Additional charges are likely, and there is at least one other crime linked to the men.
Police say the van that crashed had been stolen at gunpoint in Queens 10 days earlier.
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