A series of brazen robberies occurred in Central Park on Sunday evening, as a Citi Bike-riding thief or thieves targeted multiple victims within a span of just over an hour. The incidents, which involved two successful robberies and two attempted ones, left the parkgoers shaken and alarmed.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) has yet to confirm whether a single individual was responsible for all four crimes. The first incident took place around 7:50 p.m. on West Drive near West 86th Street. A young-looking man on a Citi Bike approached a 42-year-old woman and demanded her bag. The victim managed to escape, with the suspect giving up the chase and fleeing on the bike.
Approximately 25 minutes later, a 15-year-old girl fell victim to a similar encounter. The suspect, also on a Citi Bike, demanded her cellphone and the passcode to unlock it. Fearing for her safety, the teenager complied but was unable to catch the bike-riding robber as he made his escape.
At around 8:40 p.m., a 37-year-old man became involved in an altercation between a man and a woman on the West Drive near West 79th Street. The male suspect simulated a gun and ordered the victim to hand over his hat, which he did. The thief swiftly pedaled away on a bike.
The final incident occurred approximately 20 minutes later on the East Drive near East 109th Street. A male suspect confronted a 36-year-old woman, boldly declaring, “I rob people for a living.” He demanded her belongings, but the victim refused. In a desperate attempt to intimidate her, the determined crook grabbed her coat, tearing it. Fearing for her safety, the victim fled until she found another woman who offered assistance. The suspect, empty-handed, escaped on a Citi Bike.
