NYPD: 3 suspects targeting deliverymen in the Bronx, Manhattan
NEW YORK CITY (WABC) -- Police are looking for a trio of suspects who they say are placing food orders before assaulting and robbing the deliverymen in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.
There have been at least four incidents, all following a similar pattern.
Raw video of one incident:
The first robbery happened around 8:30 p.m. on August 7, when authorities say an unknown individual placed a food delivery order from an area restaurant and requested that it be delivered to 2770 Briggs Avenue. When the 39-year-old deliveryman arrived, he was assaulted by three men who stole his wallet, which contained $200 in cash, and the food. They then fled southbound on Briggs Avenue.
The victim suffered a laceration to his mouth and bruising to his face and head. He was treated at the scene by EMS.
Then, around 11:30 p.m. on August 11, a 28-year-old deliveryman was assaulted and robbed at knife-point at 275 East Gun Hill Road. Police say two suspects approached him from behind and threw him down to the ground before stealing his cell phone and $100 in cash.
The next day, just after 10 p.m., police say two suspects approached a 32-year-old deliveryman at 2546 Grand Avenue and punched him repeatedly before stealing a cell phone and $80 in cash.
The most recent incident happened just after midnight on August 17, when a 45-year-old deliveryman was assaulted by three suspects inside 561 West 189th Street. Authorities say the individuals dragged the victim inside the building, where they stole a cell phone and $20 in cash, along with the food. The victim was treated at the scene by EMS for minor injuries.
This latest incident was the one caught on camera, and victim Paulino Simon told Eyewitness News he had no escape.
"When I opened the door for the guy, they took me to the foot of the stairs and beat me, knocked me down, punched me in the nose," he said through an interpreter. "It's only going to get worse if police don't catch these guys."
The suspects are all described as dark-skinned males in their late teens.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
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