UPDATE: Wednesday, November 6 at 11:30 a.m.: Avi Williams, who was arrested on Monday in connection to the attack, pled not guilty on Tuesday to robbery in the second and third degrees, according to court records.
He is currently being held on Rikers Island and had his bail set at $25,000 cash, court records also show.
By Gus Saltonstall
A woman was punched and robbed Monday morning on the Upper West Side, a police spokesperson confirmed to West Side Rag.
A 23-year-old woman was walking to the gym around 6:30 a.m. near 64th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, when a man approached and punched her in the face, before forcibly taking her phone, police said. The attacker then fled the scene, NYPD added.
The woman was treated at the scene and is in stable condition. Police canvased the nearby area looking for the man, NYPD said.
The search was successful, when, shortly before 7 a.m., officers located and arrested Avi Williams, 46, in connection to the attack, and charged him with robbery in the third degree, police said.
NYPD did not have an address for Williams.
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Bravo to the police! Now let’s hope this guy gets locked up for years.
You are kidding ,right?He has probably already been released with a desk appearance ticket.
Just robbery? Sounds like he should’ve been charged with assault and battery as well. Either way, he’ll get a slap on the wrist and be released to attack again.
I have noticed over last 6 months that people with mental health issues are back in subway stations and trains. There was that big campaign and then it all stopped. This is reflected with more reports of random assault on the street. Why is this whole country seemingly unable to treat mental health problems. I don’t walk around other major cities abroad waiting to be punched in the face
WSR is there any insight on why this charge is only robbery in the 3rd degree? That charge only applies when the robber does not inflict physical injury. Clearly he did. So the charge should be robbery in the 2nd degree.
Please get NYPD/DA on record stating that they reduced the charges because they care more about criminals than victims. Maybe if we can get these admissions, voters will finally listen. Sigh.
For those asking about assault and battery – the assailant was charged with robbery in the 2nd degree. This charge means that the victim was physically injured during the robbery and is a felony, so the charge was appropriate.
Except the article says he was charged in 3rd degree, not 2nd. Where is your information that it actually 2nd degree?
Great job NYPD! And I hope the victim is OK.
What is the range of penalties for this? Does the penalty change if this is a repeat offender? This would be very helpful to know. Lock him up.
Good job, NYPD. Since the accused was found so quickly and so near the crime scene, he may have some executive function deficit, possibly due to mental/drug issues. That’s not an excuse, but rather a caution that he may likely reoffend. I hope the judge takes note and rules accordingly
I want to get rid of Adams immediately. The next Mayor has to commit to dealing with the mentally ill and migrants that are draining our resources.
Lynn,
What do migrants have to do with this article?
The migrants you complain about are here legally.
It was the previous Mayor, de Blasio, who gave ONE BILLION DOLLARS to his wife to deal with mental illness issues at THRIVE, and they could not account for one penny of it. She should be in prison.
Good Job NYPD!
Cuff him and stuff him!
Book him Dano!
Put him in and throw the key away!
my experience is that police may give a lesser charge for the sake of improving precinct records. My son was once grabbed by 2 men who forcibly stole his bike in Central Park. When we went to report this in the Park Police Station, the officer took down the information and wrote it as a theft. He refused to label it it a robbery, which it actually was. I was later told that police wanted to improve their robbery data so they were instructed to classify robberies as thefts.
Wow an arrest was made and a bail was set, great! Let’s get these creeps off the street.
I am glad that Williams is in Rikers and that bail was set at 25K.