By Gus Saltonstall
Four gunpoint robberies took place Thursday night in Central Park, a police spokesperson told West Side Rag.
In all four incidents, a group of three men approached the victims and flashed a gun before fleeing on a bike, NYPD said. All the muggings took place along East Drive.
The spree began around 8:40 p.m. near East Drive and 79th Street, when three men threatened a 28-year-old man with a gun and grabbed his cell phone, police said. The trio then fled on one bike, NYPD added.
Around 50 minutes later at 9:30 p.m., the three men approached a 46-year-old man near East Drive and 109th Street, and once again flashed a gun and took his cell phone, police said. The trio fled on one bike once more.
Then at 9:45 p.m., the three men threatened a 22-year-old man and 20-year-old woman with a gun near East Drive and 106th Street, police said. They took both the victims’ cell phones and fled on a bike. While police responded to the scene, two 43-year-old men approached the officers and told them that they had also been robbed at gunpoint nearby by three men with a gun, NYPD said.
There were no injuries in any of the robberies, police added. Police did not provide a description of the suspects.
There are no arrests, and the investigation remains ongoing, NYPD said.
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Where is a description of the perpetrators?
The value of saying 3 white men, 3 black men, or one white, one latino, one black, wearing hoodies who were under 6ft tall isn’t especially valuable in NYC. But of course i understand the dog whistle here to many people who are desperate to echo NY Post commentary tropes.
It must have been too dark to see them.
That’s kind of ridiculous, unless the witnesses were blind
More likely it would be politically incorrect to report that information
I don’t understand what you mean. Can you please explain?
Welcome to NYC Naomi! Well you seeone potentialnexplanation is that there is a sentiment that runs deep in urban environments, with scant evidence for it’s appropriateness, that says suspects of a certain phenotype are not described because allegedly it makes others of that phenotype uncomfortable. Enjoy.
I think he is suggesting that six victims are reported to have spoken to the police. It is just about impossible that there is no description of the thieves—not even of one of the three men.
Three men with a bike and a gun. Do you need more than three people with one bike?
They were slim enough to fit three of them on one bike
There are not enough cops, lights, cameras in the upper part of the Park.
There’s also no daylight at 8:30pm. STAY OIT OF PARKS AFTER DARK! Why is this so difficult?!
Why should we alter our lifestyle for perpetrators? How about some lights and security in OUR park?
Defeatist blaming the victim response. Surely the taxes paid should be sufficient to keep the city safe particularly a fantastic place like Central Park.
Is the same attitude to crime that requires toothpaste to be locked up at in the Pharmacy
But it isn’t.
yeah, give in to the fact that criminals rule the park after dark. The government has more important things to do than protect your freedom of movement and prevent crime.
Um, maybe bc there was a concert at the Summerstage that very night.
No signs. Darkness going home. Need for ppl to use phones to see maps or sometimes even paths.
No, I will not cede any public land to criminals. This is our park not theirs. If they take my phone I will give it freely but I will also give the most detailed description to NYPD so they can be hunted down. These people need to be stopped and ceding the ground is the exact opposite of how every proud New Yorker should react.
What do you mean ” These people”?
trolling
Criminals. I thought that was clear…
It was!
These people = criminals. It’s right there in his statememt.
You must be new to the city.
Mike’s right!
Nope. I love the park at night. Have been strolling through it for a decade with no issues. It’s peaceful and beautiful. The reality is that despite headlines like this, this type of thing remains rare, and certainly far more rare than it was decades ago.
I used to feel safe going anywhere at any time but then I got attacked in Central Park 2 years ago at 8:30pm. I was going up to the reservoir to see the beautiful skyline view. So I have altered my behavior, which makes me angry that I feel I have to do that.
About 50 years ago, one sunny morning I was walking to work through a quiet residential neighborhood in Cambridge, MA. I was groped from behind by a man on a bike. I altered my behavior by walking to work only along crowded, busy streets. That made me angry.
I’m pretty sure that “altering our behavior” isn’t an alien concept to most women. We don’t feel safe anywhere at anytime.
That’s fair. And I’m not blaming you for this at all. But I also think that a lot of people also don’t stay alert and aware of their surroundings which also isn’t helpful.
Sure, lack of alertness is the problem. Not the “crime is down” attitude.
Agreed. Terrible outcome.
Not enough jail space!
So Mamdani wants to shut down Rikers. Brilliant!
Everybody wants to shut down Rikers.
Not everybody. Far from it.
The escapes on one bike make this NYC comedy gold.
Circus bike.
1. Description of the perpetrators would be very helpful. People of all sizes, shapes, colors, hairstyles, etc. commit crimes. Stating these characteristics makes it easier to identify them. It does not make one racist, sexist, ableist, or any of the other ists to mention them.
2. I hate to victim blame and it is horrible that it has come to this, but I would stay out of the park at night.
3. Police cannot be everywhere. It is just not possible. Perhaps if there were more then the probability of them being nearby is greater, but people expecting this to be a magic solution are deluded.
4. Having meaningful punishment for these types of crimes and making it well known that these punishments will be enforced and not watered down for those found guilty is a meaningful deterrent. With escalating penalties for repeat offenders. It will not reduce crime to zero but it might make someone think twice.
The NYPD precint is located very near to east drive and 79th where th4 first event happened. Also, at night, there is almost always a NYPD car at the e103 trasverse where the last event happened. Also, if you know the park you just need a couple of units on the north area and e103 which is where they leave all the tome
G-d forbid we should perp-blame.
Gun point robbery!
This is more than the old fashioned strong armed mugging.
Crime is down unless you are the victim.
Be careful out there!
Actually, this is exactly what mugging is.
Mugging is a strong arm robbery, smash and grab.
This is robbery at gun point. Threat of deadly force.
Mugging is using physical force or the threat of physical force, including using a weapon or the threat of using a weapon, but not requiring a weapon, to rob someone of their belongings.
Traditional muggings in movies show a mugger brandishing a knife or showing the butt of a gun in their waistband and then demanding the victim’s wallet. One of the best lines from Crocodile Dundee was “That ain’t a knife. Now that’s a knife!” as Dundee pulls out a much larger knife than the street mugger has.
Safest neighborhood in America!
“While responding to the scene, two 43-year-old men went up to police officers and told them that they had also been robbed…”
Why were the two 43-year-old men “responding to the [crime] scene”?? Were they off-duty police, or just curious spectators?
Re read what Gus wrote. “While police responded to the scene, two 43 year old…..came up to the officers and reported that they……”
This is a serious topic with many gratuitous responses. There are people who rant about the criminals being out there because of this or that, ..but the reality is that on one night several robberies took place with a gun brandished, seemingly by the same three culprits.
Why don’t ask how we might learn more to see if there has been any actual detective work to find the suspects?
I know I’d be very happy to know how to keep track of that.
No point in trying to avoid the grammatical pitfalls. It’s like “hopefully” and “momentarily” and my least favorite, “existential”.
The police were responding and the two 43 year olds went up to them.
That’s not what was written. The report said the two 43-year-old men were responding.
Someday, people will learn not to walk around the park once it’s dark, and it’s mostly deserted.
Your comment is not very accurate.
A couple of weeks ago they killed a woman in Times Square.
I frequent the park at night and there is a lot of people- runners, bikers, delivery people, and some others walking or with their dogs.
Why? It’s OUR park. Bet they didn’t approach anyone with a large dog.
It’s really mind-boggling. And then I remember that common sense is clearly a super power…
Yeah, that’s the problem. Not criminals, stupid victims are.
Victim blaming is really shameful. The problem is and will always be criminals, not tax payers who want to enjoy THEIR park.
Bikes or one bike?
E-bike or old style? E bikes should banned from the park
Would it have been more acceptable if the robbers had been riding “old style” bikes?
A unicycle.
And we have a Mayor who is anti-cop. Who’d’ve thunk it??
Even if caught, they’ll be out in time for dinner.
No, he isn’t.
Guns are illegal in NYC, how could this happen?
Plus, there are signs in Central Park declaring it a gun-free zone.
I am perplexed also on this occurrence.
And no drugs near schools. Those signs are very effective.
Sorry, but do you really think criminals take heed of the gun-free zone??
They don’t, but I thought they would.
That is the purpose of the signs.
I am flabbergasted and gobsmacked.
Lots of times I see teenagers on bikes with face coverings and it’s obvious they are up to no good. And make descriptions difficult.
I don’t understand why someone has to use a gun to steal someone’s cell phone, when there are thousands of idiots walking around with their phones sticking out of their back pockets.
Thinking you are safe in NYC is a delusion. It’s just a numbers game and the numbers are on your side.
So either the police refused to give a description of the perpetrators (which is most offensive and would be bad police work) or WSR did (which would be bad reporting). Which is it?
We need to deploy New York’s intrepid squad of tax-funded violence interrupters, full force. Any of you ever spot a violence interrupter actually interrupt anything?
Can’t imagine strolling in Central Park in the dark but those who persist in doing it shouldn’t be surprised when criminals (likely boys or men) take advantage of them. Sorry if others don’t like the presumptions but most crimes are committed by males and CP after dark is known to be problematic so no one should be stunned when these crimes occur. Let’s hope the NYPD catch the perpetrators and they are held accountable for committing armed robbery. But, even if they are, this won’t be the last after
-dark crime in Central Park.
As of November first bith ice rinks in thr park — Wollman and Gottesman will be open. If nobody should be in the park after dark when will people skate? We don’t get that many hours of daylight in the dead of winter. Kids don’t get.home from school until after 3 and it is dark before 5. The predawn hours at the ice rink are filled with (mostly) adults who figure skate and spin and jump before public sessions open up. Should none of that be allowed?
Central Park has never been safe after dark.
Other than for the last 20 years.
Every time there’s a crime like this reported, the same comments come up – there should be police everywhere, there should be no crime, the mayor doesn’t care, etc. There will always be crime, and once you accept that, there are things you can do to minimize your chance of being a victim.
Three on a one bike sounds like new arrivals.
A whole precinct of cops works in central park, allegedly
Ha ha . Yes – tons of their cars making big pot holes on the path next to the precinct – but barely a patrol to be seen. I keep meaning to go down there and ask what they do.
It’s sad and incredible how many “blame the victim” comments are posted here, and how many comments elude to giving control of the park over to the criminal element. Instead of blaming perpetrators, so many are blaming police, blaming the descriptions, blaming the Mayor, blah blah blah, with NO practical advice at all — like carry an alarm, a loud siren, a flashlight to shine in someone’s eyes, and don’t walk with your cell phone in your hand or visible at all. As for a description, “three guys with a bike and a gun” is plenty. NO electric bikes should be allowed in the park at all, not that criminals will adhere to rules, but this way the cops can stop anyone with an e-bike, and frankly NO double riding should be allowed on ANY electric vehicle no matter where they are riding, as it’s insanely dangerous for everyone, including the riders. How about people keep their snark to themselves when posting on The Rag, too.
Why risk it at night 🙄 it’s like building a house on the beach 20 feet from the water. Use your common sense God gave you‼️