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    Suspected Robbers Steal Phones Then Crash Getaway Car; 1 Apprehended, 2 on the Loose

    May 3, 2022 | 9:49 PM - Updated on June 5, 2022 | 11:31 PM
    in CRIME, NEWS
    36
    Photograph and tip by Liz Patek.

    By Carol Tannenhauser

    Three men wearing masks — not the COVID kind — went into the T-Mobile on the corner of West 77th and Broadway at 6:30 pm on Tuesday, and, without displaying weapons, stole multiple phones, an NYPD detective told West Side Rag.

    A police car was in the area and officers observed the individuals exiting the store and entering an auto. “They left the store and got in a car,” the detective explained.

    The auto crashed in front of 272 West 77th Street, whereupon the driver, a 24-year-old male, was apprehended by the police, while the other two individuals fled the scene on foot.

    Thanks to Liz Patek for the tip and photograph.

    Charges are pending on the 24-year-old male. The other two individuals are still outstanding.

    The investigation is ongoing.

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    Please limit comments to 150 words and keep them civil and relevant to the article at hand. Comments are closed after six days. Our primary goal is to create a safe and respectful space where a broad spectrum of voices can be heard. We welcome diverse viewpoints and encourage readers to engage critically with one another’s ideas, but never at the expense of civility. Disagreement is expected—even encouraged—but it must be expressed with care and consideration. Comments that take cheap shots, escalate conflict, or veer into ideological warfare detract from the constructive spirit we aim to cultivate. A detailed statement on comments and WSR policy can be read here.

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    36 Comments
    rs
    rs
    4 years ago

    Jimmy Breslin (RIP) nailed it many years ago: “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.”

    0
    Reply
    LK
    LK
    4 years ago

    “The other two individuals are still outstanding.”
    Once they are captured, they will be just ordinary…

    0
    Reply
    geoff
    geoff
    4 years ago
    Reply to  LK

    good one. i saw anoher once, a farmer, outstanding in his field.

    0
    Reply
    Jen
    Jen
    4 years ago

    This is the area with 4 schools nearby. Crime is happening in that area on regular basis during daytime or early evening.

    0
    Reply
    Will
    Will
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Jen

    I’m sure the students at Collegiate are going to be fine

    0
    Reply
    Leon
    Leon
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Will

    Public school parent here, but why the snark towards private school kids? Kids are kids. No one deserves to be dealing with this rampant crime.

    Please show a little class.

    0
    Reply
    Will
    Will
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Leon

    Because the sky is falling every time I log on here and I have zero patience for hyperbole. We all grew up here and turned out fine. I snark towards Private School because my friends who went to Collegiate and Calhoun were shuttled through private cars and au pairs and never actually had to interact with the neighborhood around them. Those that did wore North Face and tagged the freedom tunnel and were a lot tougher. Everything will be fine.

    0
    Reply
    Rob
    Rob
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Will

    Will – I am really disappointed in your response and wonder if you have any empathy for children?

    My son goes to private school and gets dropped off one block from our apartment on W. 76th St by bus.

    He is nine years old. He walks home by himself. I do not meet him at the bus because I work full-time. His mom is not in the picture.

    Show some compassion for the children in this neighborhood who are subjected daily to shoplifting, drug dealers, open drug use panhandling, and public masturbation. Our elected officials don’t care about our kids and are all about social justice for criminals. I have called Brewers office numerous times and get no action.

    Just fyi – they dumped 13 sex offenders at the hotel Belleclaire on W. 77th St. and didn’t let anyone in the community know during the pandemic. One block from my house.

    0
    Reply
    Jen
    Jen
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Leon

    Yes. I didn’t even know Collegiate was there. Not that it matters what school it is. I meant Dual Language, Computer and Anderson. Again, it doesn’t matter what school it was. The above comment implying rich kids will be fine is plain disgusting

    0
    Reply
    m.pipik
    m.pipik
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Will

    They will since the school moved to a new building on Freedom Pl. near W62nd Street.

    0
    Reply
    Joe
    Joe
    4 years ago

    Crime is on the rise because they know they will be released and sentences will be light.

    0
    Reply
    Jim
    Jim
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Joe

    Agree Joe. I live on West 97th street and very unhappy about the new homeless shelter that is opening without any notice to our neighborhood – we now have the most homeless shelters in Manhattan and yet they keep popping up here without any notice to the community.

    People really need to start to look at our fellow activists here who have partnered themselves financially with the homeless organizations and try to shut us up.

    0
    Reply
    Rich
    Rich
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Jim

    UWS Facebook group formerly Safer Streets blocked me months ago when I tried to bring up the new homeless shelter on West 97th street (zero notification to my neighbors) that was secretly done behind everyone’s back‘s.

    I thought that was an important post for my fellow UWS neighbors, for us to get together and say no more….
    no more homeless shelters here, but that got me banned…

    I was pretty confused until I found out they are “friends“ with the organization.

    Just recently, residents in the Chinatown District got together and said no to another homeless shelter and they won.

    But, we have no representation here and no one seems to care, the politicians, that our stores are being robbed daily.

    Early this morning, and I’m in my 50s, 6’0 feet and 280 pounds, I was aggressively panhandled by one of the residents from the homeless shelter who demanded that I give him money. Pretty scary having someone in your face like that with no mask.

    0
    Reply
    denton
    denton
    4 years ago

    Now they know, public transportation is always faster. Maybe they’re from out of town.

    0
    Reply
    METGALAFAN
    METGALAFAN
    4 years ago

    However – I think ALL New Yorkers can agree that the mayor’s “Stop Gun Violence” tux jacket will have a major impact on reducing crime in NYC.

    0
    Reply
    good humor
    good humor
    4 years ago

    glad no one was injured.

    0
    Reply
    chris
    chris
    4 years ago

    if you google t mobile and robbery you will see there have been a string of these in the past few months. one just saturday –where a crash was also involved.

    0
    Reply
    Cato
    Cato
    4 years ago
    Reply to  chris

    Maybe the “t” in “T-Mobile” stands for “Thieves (welcome)”?

    0
    Reply
    Josh
    Josh
    4 years ago

    Cant say thieves are getting smarter… Using a getaway car in Manhattan in the middle of RUSH HOUR?!?!

    0
    Reply
    Je
    Je
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Josh

    Josh,
    Yes seemed strange to use a car in the middle of a busy Manhattan neighborhood

    0
    Reply
    Random Guy
    Random Guy
    4 years ago

    Better luck next week, when they’re released…assuming they’re ever found.

    0
    Reply
    Will
    Will
    4 years ago

    There are no cops to be found on the UWS.

    0
    Reply
    Coucha
    Coucha
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Will

    The only ones you see on the street are traffic cops giving out parking tickets.

    0
    Reply
    FeddUpp
    FeddUpp
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Will

    REALLY? Really-really-really??
    Proof?
    Evidence??
    (could say more but that would violate this site’s guidelines)

    0
    Reply
    Kate
    Kate
    4 years ago

    Slap on the wrist, back on the street, rinse and repeat.

    0
    Reply
    Jay
    Jay
    4 years ago

    How would they activate stolen phones?

    0
    Reply
    Shanna
    Shanna
    4 years ago

    Very difficult situation on the UWS.
    My 13 year old daughter ( who looks 13) is constantly propositioned by a group of men at West 79th.
    Although they’re drunk – that doesn’t give them an excuse to say obscene things to my daughter and one of them pulled down his pants and exposed himself. My daughter was very upset and I can’t really get any response from the 20th precinct. and the City council woman Told me that my daughter should not walk on Broadway then. We live on Broadway!

    0
    Reply
    Peter
    Peter
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Shanna

    Curious if you’d share who the “helpful” City council woman is?

    0
    Reply
    Alaina
    Alaina
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Peter

    Peter, I was really harassed by that guy Carl on W. 79th St. He was very intoxicated and got into my face demanding money. I did call the cops and they told me that I shouldn’t walk near that area. I was really frustrated because I live in that area. He also hassled me at Chase Bank and demand it money.

    Our new city council woman doesn’t care at all about the elderly and us being harassed by the homeless.
    I am age 68 – and I think that puts me in the elderly column?

    Evidence is that there was no objection from her to the new homeless shelter on W. 97th St. and she took everyone out to dinner who was involved in the new shelter.

    I’m not alone. Many of my friends who are in their upper
    60s and lower 70s age wise are being targeted by the homeless men from the shelters. It’s the same message over and over again, I need money for food.

    When I ask why they can’t get food from the food pantry on west 86 street or from their shelter, they get really belligerent and demand money from me.

    It’s really not fun having someone in your face or grab your arm or push you because you won’t give them money.

    My question is why don’t the elderly have any rights here?

    And…. Why is it more important to bring men just released from prison into the new homeless shelter on W. 97th St.

    0
    Reply
    In-and-Out Raged
    In-and-Out Raged
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Shanna

    Re: “and the City council woman Told me that my daughter should not walk on Broadway then.”
    THAT is the all-time worst thing ever heard about our “elected officials” and/or their staff!
    Hope you got the name of the person, but even if not still follow up by mail:
    “You can submit written complaints about a City Council Member by mail to:
    The New York City Council
    General Counsel
    250 Broadway, 15th Floor
    New York, NY 10007
    Attn: Jason Adolfo Otaño.”
    Remember: We pay their salaries; they are accountable to US !

    0
    Reply
    Je
    Je
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Shanna

    horrible.
    My partner and cousins grew up on the UWS in the 1980s and encountered this sort of thing all the time.
    It is horrible for kids

    0
    Reply
    Christine E
    Christine E
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Shanna

    Omg that’s horrible

    0
    Reply
    Carol
    Carol
    4 years ago

    Stole phones from T-Mobile? HOW?! When I went in (diff location) to physically assess phones (looking for lightest weight I could find), they were all bolted to the counter and when asked about the weight of a couple models, was told to do an internet search!

    0
    Reply
    Peter
    Peter
    4 years ago
    Reply to  Carol

    Use your imagination. For example, what would a store clerk do if 3 guys crowd around her and ask her “politely” to unlock the case/backroom with the unopened phones? Etc. etc.

    0
    Reply
    Abe Goteiner
    Abe Goteiner
    4 years ago

    Wow. I feel really sorry for my old neighborhood. I grew up on W. 99th, went to elementary school on W. 96, JHS on W. 93. Now live in MA after almost 40 years in the Midwest.

    0
    Reply
    Concernedsmallbusinessowner
    Concernedsmallbusinessowner
    4 years ago

    If everyone who commented here would call and write an email to Gale Brewer, she would finally start getting it that we are FED UP. Being told to avoid Broadway is a death sentence to the small businesses on Broadway trying to make it. That is the most offensive comment and such a brazen arrogant thing to say. Please let her know we are done with the abuse, the dumping of shelter after shelter on us and our neighborhood becoming more dangerous every day.

    0
    Reply

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