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HERE

‘Moped Bandits’ Rob Two Teens in Riverside Park

August 30, 2022 | 9:29 AM
in NEWS
57

By Carol Tannenhauser

Two 17-year-old girls were robbed in the 72nd Street tunnel in Riverside Park at about 10PM Monday night. Police are seeking two individuals of unknown description and age, who were traveling together “on a scooter,” a spokesperson said. “One got off and removed cell phones from both girls, but only one phone ended up being taken. The suspects fled on the scooter.”

Upper West Sider Jim Naughton witnessed the incident and alerted us. “I was walking my dog in Riverside Park last night at around 9:45,” Naughton wrote. “I was on Riverside Drive at about 73rd Street. A moped, with two people on board, entered the park at 74th Street and rode down the path to the 72nd Street tunnel that leads to the river. These two people assaulted and robbed several people in the tunnel.  I’m not sure if they were threatened with a gun or knife.”

The police made no mention of weapons.

“Can you warn the UWS that this is happening all over town?” Naughton asked. “If you see two people on a scooter approaching you, you are about to be robbed.” (Thanks, Jim, for the tip.)

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ben
ben
7 months ago

Handful of similar robberies reported all around the city this past week. Whether it’s the same group or copy cats, it’s an alarming trend.

12
Reply
JustSayin
JustSayin
6 months ago

Cowards. Pick on someone your own size.

6
Reply
John
John
6 months ago

In South America this is the way most folks get robbed by folks on motorcycles or scooters. Thanks to an open boarder and gangs moving north we will see much more of this and increased violence.

20
Reply
John E.
John E.
6 months ago
Reply to  John

Hey John, did they use the same scooters they crossed the border with or did they rent them from Revel?

4
Reply
Chris B
Chris B
6 months ago
Reply to  John

Agreed

6
Reply
Fact (NOT Chubby) Chekker
Fact (NOT Chubby) Chekker
6 months ago
Reply to  John

Ummm….”Thanks to an open boarder and gangs moving north we will see much more of this and increased violence.”
Gee, doesn’t THAT sound familiar? Think it was in July of 2015 when some guy with crazy blonde hair rode a “gold” escalator to announce he would run for president and, if elected, he would get Mexico to pay for a wall to keep out all them “criminals and rapists”

27
Reply
Josh
Josh
6 months ago
Reply to  John

For crying out loud, can you please get off using other people’s taking points and parroting the talking heads on FoxNews and OAN and use common sense and think for yourself for once! These crimes are not committed by some criminal element that is illegally crossing the southern border. New York, and all large cities (especially in the US) have had this kind of crime perpetrated by local street thugs forever. As times have changed, the thugs change with them. With the popularity of these motor scooters that are now ridiculously cheap and have proliferated everywhere in the city, the thugs are now using them to commit crimes. If the border was turned into a modern day Maginot Line, this would still be going on. Stop making everything criminal be tied to the border. Not only is it xenophobic, but it is simply blindly following the statements of others. I swear, if Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson told their viewers that the only way to live a happy life was to jump off the George Washington Bridge, the NYPD would be fishing the bodies of half of America out of the Hudson River.

Last edited 6 months ago by Josh
61
Reply
Sam Katz
Sam Katz
6 months ago
Reply to  Josh

But that would be a good thing. As long as it is the cult half of America. Not only are Sean Hannity and Tucker Carlson xenophobic racists, they’re also vaccinated and living in their multi-million dollar mansions far, far away from other people while mocking the pandemic, science, and climate change. Of course, they don’t live near flood zones. They don’t live or work near anyone. They phone it in. Hannity was a failed disc jockey and Carlson a rich heir who never worked a day in his life — he just spews nonsense over the air. The perps doing this– at least the others — have already been photographed and they’re not Hispanic. So that crazy guy with blonde hair can still go to prison for obstruction of justice, treason, insurrection, and being a compulsive liar, but maybe one of his ex-wives or five kids will get tired of him first.

4
Reply
Pam bail
Pam bail
6 months ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

Carlson is not an heir. He married an heiress to a food company.

1
Reply
Ye Olde Englife Teechere
Ye Olde Englife Teechere
6 months ago
Reply to  Josh

Josh: Your excellent response is wonderful…well-written and quite knowledgeable (Maginot line…how many people would recall that!). Quite refreshing!

2
Reply
roseann
roseann
6 months ago
Reply to  John

Jumping to conclusions, I see.

13
Reply
David S
David S
6 months ago
Reply to  John

Before you comment on the impact of US border policy on crime in New York City, wouldn’t it be a good idea to actually know how to spell “border”?

47
Reply
D-Rex
D-Rex
6 months ago
Reply to  John

“..open boarder…” Are you referring to Canada?
No reason to think this robbery profile is specific to immigrants, more likely the natural progression due to more scooters, motorcycles and e-bikes in the city. Not rocket science, our locals can come up with things like this on their own.

18
Reply
Mark Moore
Mark Moore
6 months ago
Reply to  John

I was thinking the same thing. This is real Brazilian stuff.

7
Reply
Izzy
Izzy
6 months ago
Reply to  Mark Moore

Yes, indeed. My bet is that there’s a favela crime lord that is sending his minions up to NY to steal cell phones.

1
Reply
Mark Moore
Mark Moore
6 months ago

This is what happens when you don’t enforce the laws against scooters, motorized mopeds in bike lanes, motorized scooters with no license plates, etc. Now they’re using them anywhere to rob people congratulations 24th precinct.

34
Reply
Ish Kabibble
Ish Kabibble
6 months ago
Reply to  Mark Moore

It’s the 20th precinct

4
Reply
Naomi
Naomi
6 months ago

I got chased there around 9pm, same time last year (so it was dark). I was biking and was walking my bike up the steep ramp, and as I was getting ready to hop on back, some guys who were hanging there chased after me on their bike. It was pretty scary but I just cycled faster and then was back on the road on 72nd. The moped situation really sucks.

16
Reply
Caly
Caly
6 months ago

The exact same thing happened near the Guggenheim this weekend in broad daylight. I work on that block I’ve always felt safe there so this was a real shock to me.

https://www.audacy.com/1010wins/news/local/video-scooter-thieves-try-to-rob-woman-near-guggenheim

When I come home to the UWS I feel like I’m walking a gauntlet from 86th to 68th. When I have a break I use the 72nd street tunnel to enter the park to ‘unwind,’ but I’m not so sure I’d have the energy to run or fight back. They must have felt trapped. It’s depressing to know that someone on a scooter can literally run you down and assault and rob so many people. : (

13
Reply
Mark Moore
Mark Moore
6 months ago

This is a direct result of not enforcing the scooter laws or the laws against motorized vehicles in bike lanes and motorized vehicles without license plates etc. so now they’re using them to drive around anywhere they want and rob people.

30
Reply
NotImpressed
NotImpressed
6 months ago

Send them to Rikers. I honestly don’t care what happens to them. Want to avoid Rikers and all the bad things that happen there? Don’t commit crimes.

43
Reply
Stefan
Stefan
6 months ago
Reply to  NotImpressed

The lighting along the ramp and on the staircase at the West 72 Street tunnel is dim and poorly lit. I would NOT walk my dog or stroll there when it’s dark.
Use your common sense, Upper Westsiders!
Although you’re right next to the W. 72 St. Dog Run, its not safe at night if no one is around.
If you need to head down to the Pier Cafe at 70th St., then perhaps use the ramp at 69th Street and Riverside Boulevard. In an emergency, there are doormen buildings right there all along Riverside Blvd.
I choose to walk my dog on West End Avenue, north of W. 72 Street. It’s busy along W.E.A. and the doormen can help with any problem. Never at night in Riverside Park, where it can be desolate and risky!
Also…
Where are those critically important yellow Emergency Boxes or life-saving Park Enforcement Patrol (P.E.P.) vehicles stationed in Riverside Park??
No where, sadly.

12
Reply
Adam
Adam
6 months ago
Reply to  Stefan

So your advice is don’t go outside when it’s dark because there are bad guys out there? Shouldn’t everyone feel safe walking outside at any time at night? Seems to me that instead of victim blaming we should be focused on preventing crime in the first instance. Crazy thought I know. . .

4
Reply
Kathryn
Kathryn
6 months ago
Reply to  Adam

Agreed…why should I have to map out routes by timing on when it’s safe to take the dog out. I pay enough taxes to live here to expect a better response than “don’t go out at night”. And relying on doormen is not a strategy…you’re not their responsibility if you’re just walking by. I had a sidewalk electric bike mow over my dog, when I tried to hold him until I could call police several doormen were watching but no one came to assist me. Maybe that guy has now moved on to robbing people on a moped because he realized he can get away with anything.

4
Reply
Joanne
Joanne
6 months ago

“unknown description and age, ” Ok, so how do the police expect to find them? And you are telling me these 17 year old girls can’t describe their color/height/body frame? What they were wearing? Please.

7
Reply
Larry
Larry
6 months ago
Reply to  Joanne

I’m fairly sure that descriptions were given to the police at the 20th precinct but they just haven’t released the information/descriptions to any press yet.

1
Reply
Phoebe
Phoebe
6 months ago
Reply to  Joanne

A man was a witness as well.

1
Reply
Lisa Kurtz
Lisa Kurtz
6 months ago

Everybody with followers please tweet this to the mayor, council people and news agencies! I am not on twitter.

4
Reply
Steve
Steve
6 months ago

I was hanging out w my dog Sunday evening between 7 and 8 right by Eleanor, 100 yards from that tunnel. Two guys on a “scooter” (really a motorcycle or dirt bike w/o plates) were flying around the park sidewalk feet from me & others ,and then headed onto Riverside Bld. Two minutes later a uniformed park cop in his car rolled up, I sopped him and and I told him about these guys (and even mentioned it’s a common purse snatching getaway vehicle now). He responded by saying that once they leave the actual park he’s not going to do anything, and drove off. It was getting really dark so I split. The cop was absolutely useless, no big surprise here, and you can bet the criminals know that. I don’t know if was the same two guys because the article doesn’t describe them, but seems very plausible. Regardless, just get used to the idea that you are on totally your own in the city now– the cops just don’t care, at best they show up after you are mugged/stabbed/raped/killed. I used to love this neighborhood.

25
Reply
Robert Spire
Robert Spire
6 months ago

The bike lobby is responsible for the proliferation of mopeds and scooters and ebikes with no plates. Not only that, the speed camera blanket pushed by the urbanist cult lead to nefarious actors being more willing to drive with no plates.

7
Reply
Steve
Steve
6 months ago
Reply to  Robert Spire

Nope. People who ride regular bicycles and even people who use the legal, speed-limited pedal-assist variety do not like the proliferation of these heavy and fast electric mopeds. There’s no bike lobby that wants these in parks or bike lanes.

19
Reply
Micromobility
Micromobility
6 months ago
Reply to  Robert Spire

What “bike lobby” are you talking about? Cyclists hate the mopeds in Riverside Park and Hudson River as much as anyone else.

23
Reply
Bob
Bob
6 months ago

London had this problem, and controversially addressed it by having the police chase and literally ram moped thieves with their cars. On one hand, that is a rather violent approach to the problem, to say the least. On the other hand… it apparently worked, and significantly reduced the number of thefts. Not advocating that here, but it’s interesting.

24
Reply
NotImpressed
NotImpressed
6 months ago
Reply to  Bob

I say let them ram them.
Don’t want to get rammed?
Don’t use your scooter as a vehicle to commit crimes.
Otherwise, you get what you get.

4
Reply
JerryV
JerryV
6 months ago
Reply to  Bob

No problem with ramming mopeds driven by thieves. I used to do this with bumper cars driven by friends in Coney Island and it’s lots of fun. Except that now, the good guys’ bumper cars. need to be bigger than those of the thieves.

1
Reply
Mark P
Mark P
6 months ago
Reply to  Bob

Thanks for that Bob. There’s a London Metropolitan Police video in [this NPR article](https://www.npr.org/2018/11/27/671167996/london-police-release-video-of-officers-cars-hitting-mopeds-triggering-a-debate) which is both rather enjoyable to watch and also demonstrates that this tactic can be employed with less risk than one might first assume. It’s not ramming – it’s more like bumping. Imagine if just a few officers were trained in this tactic and then set loose on the city. I’m sure many would volunteer for the chance to actually serve justice on some bad guys. Not saying it’s risk free. But if we aren’t willing to risk anything, we might as well go back to the Wild West.

4
Reply
ben
ben
6 months ago
Reply to  Bob

I wish nypd had the guts to do that. I’d cheer them on personally.

1
Reply
Sam Katz
Sam Katz
6 months ago
Reply to  ben

The problem is they would get sued, lose their jobs, and be prosecuted. What will happen, however, is that because of the recent Supreme Court ruling, civilians are going to start carrying concealed weapons and these perps will have a short run at their new robbery profession.

1
Reply
Bill Pearlman
Bill Pearlman
6 months ago

when you keep electing the same type of people. To enact the same policies. This is what you get. The only people with a right to complain here are those that vote Republican. If you voted for Alvin Bragg. What did you think was going to happen

17
Reply
Sam Katz
Sam Katz
6 months ago
Reply to  Bill Pearlman

I’m a Democrat, but I did NOT vote for Alvin Bragg. It was ranked choice voting and there were several Democratic choices. I voted for the candidate the police unions endorsed.: Elizabeth Crotty. If you are not sure of what you are writing about, don’t post it.

0
Reply
Bill Pearlman
Bill Pearlman
6 months ago
Reply to  Sam Katz

actually the DA race was not RCV. I liked Crotty myself. You get to complain. The people that voted for Bragg. Don’t

0
Reply
NewyorkerUWS
NewyorkerUWS
6 months ago
Reply to  Bill Pearlman

I agree about Alvin Bragg but won’t vote for a Republican who thinks Trump won the 2020 election.

9
Reply
S G
S G
6 months ago
Reply to  NewyorkerUWS

Wow, glad to see you have your priorities straight. Have fun watching the city degrade further and enjoy Biden’s.

1
Reply
Ish Kabibble
Ish Kabibble
6 months ago
Reply to  Bill Pearlman

Ridiculously uninformed comment.

5
Reply
good humor
good humor
6 months ago

Do any of the commenters ever say to themselves “I voted for this”?

Didn’t think so.

8
Reply
Kat
Kat
6 months ago

So sorry that this happened to two young women. The west side had an opportunity to vote for a state senator in D47 that cared and prioritized public safety. Maybe next time.

8
Reply
Mark P
Mark P
6 months ago

This is classic “Broken Windows” right here folks – let’s call it Broken Sidewalks & Bike Lanes. People riding motorized vehicles on sidewalks or in bike lanes should be ticketed and,, if they don’t have plates or ID, arrested. Get them in the system. They are anti-social, dangerous law breakers. Some of them will be thieves.

23
Reply
Max Honkidonk
Max Honkidonk
6 months ago

Thank you for reporting on this. Unfortunately nothing will happen even if these criminals are caught. Either robbing people in this fashion is a misdemeanor and not bail eligible or if by some miracle these two can get locked up, the DA will lower the charge. After all, we are dealing with leaders in government who believe the real societal problem is punishing crime, not the crime itself and what it does to victims.

12
Reply
John E.
John E.
6 months ago

I assume these two girls never saw the movie Death Wish. On a serious note I always tell visitors never to venture into any park in the city after dark.

5
Reply
Steven Barall
Steven Barall
6 months ago

NYC is slowly becoming a daytime city and not a night life city.

9
Reply
Ronnie
Ronnie
6 months ago

My comment is a bit tangential to robberies committed by moped-and-scooter criminals, but perhaps close enough to warrant a comment here: today, I was about to cross West 75th and Broadway on a green light when a man on a moped/motorcycle seemed to come out of nowhere — couldn’t hear a sound — zooming down the wrong direction in front of me, two inches from my feet. If I’d hastened my step a little, I might be dead now. Why is there such rampant lawlessness in NYC, with shoplifters, muggers, and traffic scofflaws getting off scot-free? I consider myself a staunch liberal, a proponent of jail reform, but this is ridiculous. I’ve lived on the Upper West Side for almost all of my life, but other, calmer places are looking ever more desirable — so tired, frustrated, and angry over the way we live now.

Last edited 6 months ago by Ronnie
19
Reply
George
George
6 months ago
Reply to  Ronnie

Where are the police. You never see them on the UWS. Get out of the cars, split up into small patrols, stop looking and your cell phones and chatting and restore order to the City

14
Reply
Bill Pearlman
Bill Pearlman
6 months ago
Reply to  George

they arrest people. but its a revolving door. And gor that you have to blame the elected officials. Really the voters

3
Reply
Ronnie
Ronnie
6 months ago
Reply to  George

Exactly: Where are the police? I was crossing West 75th at around 6pm today and am tempted to go to the police tomorrow and ask them to identify that scary moped rider through street camera recordings, but I fear nothing will come of it. This lunatic will continue to get away with his dangerous behavior because no one in authority cares; it will take his killing a pedestrian to see justice. Horrible.

1
Reply
TW Baskins
TW Baskins
6 months ago

How many more excuses in these posts can be proffered. It’s time we look ourselves in the mirror and place blame where’s it’s deserved. “We have met the enemy, and the enemy is us.”

1
Reply
Rhonda
Rhonda
6 months ago

Get the bloody motorized bikes, scooters, and motorcycles out of the park now and off the sidewalks of our city You can’t take a relaxing stroll anywhere. Not so urgent for the risk-oblivious, until they get assaulted, ripped off or hurt…or their mother goes down.

6
Reply
Honeynunch
Honeynunch
6 months ago

The police are always needed after dark. I hope the police be more visible during the holidays for safety’s sake.

0
Reply

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