NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Police are trying to identify a man wanted in connection to robberies at several cell phone stores across New York City.

According to police, five robberies took place between Feb. 22 and March 31 at T-Mobile and AT&T stores in Manhattan and the Bronx.

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Police are trying to identify a man wanted in connection to robberies at several cell phone stores across New York City. (Credit: NYPD Crime Stoppers)

In one incident, police say the man used scissors to cut a cell phone free from a display. In another incident, the man allegedly pulled out a pair of scissors and threatened to stab anyone who tried to stop him.

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According to police, the man has stolen five cell phones worth a total of about $7,000.

After one robbery, police say the man was seen inside a white SUV.

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Anyone who has information regarding these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782. Tips can also be sent to the NYPDTips Twitter account or submitted online at NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.

Source - https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/04/09/nypd-cell-phone-store-robbery-spree-manhattan-the-bronx/

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — At least five mom-and-pop pharmacies have been broken into across the city.

Police say tens of thousands of dollars worth of drugs have been stolen. As CBS2’s Kevin Rincon reported Friday, it’s not the work of a lone burglar.

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The front window is being replaced at the Strand Pharmacy in Astoria, Queens after police say at least two men broke in and stole an estimated $10,000 worth of prescription pills, along with $2,000 in cash.

It happened on April 13.

Not far way, police say four men used a crow bar to smash through a front window at Health Quest RX Pharmacy, but left empty handed.

“They were looking specifically for controlled medication, nothing else,” said a pharmacy employee. “They didn’t take no money or anything. They just wanted narcotics or controlled substances.”

The employee and her boss said just the attempt to steal from them is heartbreaking.

“It’s terrible because we’re trying to pick up the time we lost because of COVID. So, it’s a selfish thing that they did,” Ashley, the employee, said.

“It’s a little absurd. I think that it’s shocking and we were the ones, as health care professionals, to help the community, and if we’re the ones being target now, it’s a big deal,” her boss, Regina, said.

(Credit: NYPD)

They’re not alone.

Police said three men used rocks to break through glass at the Organic Pharmacy in Astoria. They allegedly stole $27,000 worth of pills before fleeing.

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On April 12, cops said three men broke into the Corner Pharmacy in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s now been robbed twice, after a group of men smashed through the front window back on March 26.

In both cases, the suspects got away with pills.

“It’s sad. It’s sad what the world is come to because it’s a very nice place out here. It’s family oriented,” one person said.

It wasn’t just pharmacies that were targeted. Police say a group of men tried to rob an ATM inside a check cashing store, too.

“It’s scary, because we’re in Park Slope, Brooklyn. It’s supposed to be one of the safest neighborhoods,” said Margarito Rosario, who works at a dentist’s office nearby.

“I bring my daughter to work with me every morning. So I was kind of scared, and then she gets nervous when she sees cops,” said Michele Vila.

They see what’s happening as indicative of something else.

“This is desperate. People are desperate, the need help,” said Rosario. “This is a cry for help. This is not because people want to be criminals.”

Anyone with information about the suspects is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

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CBS2’s Kevin Rincon contributed to this report.

Source - https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/04/16/pharmacy-burglary-pattern/

 NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – The NYPD wants your help finding two men they say stole a jewelry cart from a building in the Bronx.

An alleged serial bank robber who was arrested earlier this week was slapped with federal charges for two of the heists — including one job where he threatened to kill everyone at a Chase branch in Queens, according to court documents unsealed Friday.

Craig Gernett, 42, was charged with bank robbery in Brooklyn federal court for that theft and another caper at a Queens Citibank earlier this month, according to the criminal complaint against him.

Prosecutors allege Gernett walked into the Court Square Citibank in Long Island City at about 12 p.m. on May 6 and handed a teller a robbery note, the complaint states.

“No die (sic) packs. No GPS. No bait money, make it fast put all the money you have in the drawer in envelopes this is not a joke. I have 2 people outside. I have a gun,” the note read.

The note Craig Gernett allegedly wrote before sticking up the bank.
The note Craig Gernett allegedly wrote before sticking up one of the banks.
Court documents
The teller forked over $1,115 and Gernett allegedly walked away with the cash, prosecutors allege.

On May 11, Gernett allegedly struck again, hitting a Chase bank on nearby Queens Plaza South, the complaint states.

He handed a teller a robbery note, who responded by asking “what is that,” according to prosecutors.

In the robbery, Craig Gernett came away with $1,115.
In the May 6 robbery, Craig Gernett came away with $1,115.
DCPI
“Are you kidding me, this is a robbery!” Gernett responded.

“I will kill everyone in here, pull from the second drawer,” he said.

The Post previously reported Gernett was cut loose from prison in August after serving 10 years for robbing four banks and 11 shops dating back to 2006.

Police believe he went on a robbery spree this month, which included the two Queens robberies, as well as two other bank jobs last week in Manhattan.

Craig Gernett had previously robbed other banks.
Craig Gernett had previously robbed other banks.
DCPI
Craig Gernett allegedly robbed two separate Queens banks this May.
Craig Gernett allegedly robbed two separate Queens banks this May.
Court documents
Prior to his sentencing in 2006, his lawyer at the time said he was a drug addict who was committing robberies to fund his addiction.

“Put simply, Mr. Gernett committed these robberies while on a crack binge … But underlying Mr. Gernett’s substance abuse problem — and, I submit, a cause of his addiction — is a serious mental illness,” his attorney wrote in court papers at the time.



Source - https://nypost.com/2021/05/21/serial-bank-robber-threatened-to-kill-everyone-in-queens-branch-feds/

FORDHAM, Bronx (WABC) -- New video shows a violent jewelry snatching in the Bronx.

A man walked into Bronx Pawn Brokers on Kingsbridge Road in the Fordham section Wednesday at 2:25 p.m. and approached a 71-year-old woman.

He grabbed her by the neck and snatched her necklace.
The robber then ran out and drove off in a black SUV.

The woman suffered cuts to her neck but is expected to be OK.

The necklace was worth about $400.

So far, there are no arrests.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

Source - https://abc7ny.com/man-snatches-womans-necklace-off-her-neck-in-bronx-pawnshop/10686708/

Distressing video captured an 80-year-old Asian man being assaulted and robbed in California — amid a disturbing spike in bias crimes against members of the Asian American community across the US.

The footage from San Leandro on Saturday shows two teens whom police described as as young as 16 attacking the senior, who is knocked to the ground while yelling for help, KGO-TV reported.

Meanwhile, someone who is presumed to be in a getaway car is heard giggling during the brazen attack.

“It’s crazy to see kids that age doing that kind of stuff going down that road already,” the man who recorded the video from his home told the news outlet, identifying himself only as Marcos.

The victim suffered minor injuries while being robbed of a watch, KGO reported.

Police Lt. Ali Kahn said he believes the crime was hate-motivated.

Less than two hours later, a similar vehicle was seen in a strong-arm robbery in which a woman was robbed of her purse.

Kahn said police were shocked when the chief received the results of a victim demographic study.

“From 2019 to 2020, we saw an almost 300 percent increase in crimes towards our Asian and Pacific Islander community members,” he told the station.

Kahn recalled a series of carjackings and burglaries committed by juveniles several weeks ago.

“Other than putting juveniles in jail, what other avenues can we have to maybe divert some of the things that are happening?” he said.

The man who captured the latest attack called for “more consequences because it seems to be ongoing.”

Another video published by KGO last week showed the random stabbing of two elderly Asian women in San Francisco — including one who was attacked so brutally that the blade broke off in her body.

Source - https://nypost.com/2021/05/11/video-shows-teens-attacking-robbing-80-year-old-asian-man/

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Police are trying to identify an individual wanted in connection to a string of burglaries and break-ins in the Bronx.

In three of the incidents, the individual broke into apartments by climbing a fire escape and entering through a window.

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Police are trying to identify an individual wanted in connection to a string of burglaries and break-ins in the Bronx. (Credit: NYPD Crime Stoppers)

The first burglary happened sometime between Feb. 7-12 at a building near Beach Avenue and Mansion Street. Police say he got away with jewelry.

The second incident happened on Feb. 22 at an apartment near Leland Avenue and East Tremont Avenue. The suspect allegedly stole jewelry and about $5,000.

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Police say on March 5, the suspect broke into an apartment on Thieriot Avenue and East Tremont Avenue but ran off after being confronted by a resident who was home at the time. Nothing was stolen and no one was injured.

On April 19, the suspect tried to break into an apartment near Thieriot Avenue and East Tremont Avenue by pushing through a window, but a resident who was home confronted him. The suspect then ran off.

Police have released surveillance video and photos of the suspect taken near Thieriot Avenue and East Tremont Avenue after the most recent incident.

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Anyone who has information regarding these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-8477 or for Spanish, 1-888-577-4782. Tips can also be sent to the NYPDTips Twitter account or submitted online at NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.

Source - https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/04/27/bronx-break-ins-burglaries/

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – That’s one busy burglar.

Police are looking for a man taking advantage of closed bars and restaurants. They say he’s robbed nearly 20 of them, and it’s not just money he’s taking.

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Police say the man has helped himself to whatever he can get his hands on in bars and restaurants forced to close either partially or entirely pandemic.

Video from April 21 at Marlow Bistro on Amsterdam Avenue shows him breaking in around 10 p.m. He made off with $500 and two Apple iPads.

Police say he cuts through the vinyl door entrances and damages glass front doors to gain entry. 

The suspect has allegedly broken into at least 18 place and has stolen about $30,000 in cash, alcohol and electronics.

His pattern stretches all over: The Lower East Side, Midtown, Upper West Side, Harlem.

Blue seafood bar was broken into on Ninth Avenue. Kasia Banas owns Route 66, which is next door.

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“We are struggling. This is…i f you break the window and you steal a couple bottles of liquor, it’s not the liquor you are stealing. It’s the expense we have to go through to fix those windows and we can’t afford it,” Banas said. 

Her restaurant was broken into weeks ago, and $200 was stolen, but it was not one of the places listed in this pattern.

Debbie Kavourias owns the hardware store on the other side of Blue, which has been there for decades. She’s never heard of this many break-ins before.

“Not like this. Never like this. And I’m surprised, because there’s cameras,” she said. “We’re struggling. Everybody here is struggling, and when things like this happen, it’s very scary.

The NYPD says while overall crime is down, burglary is up from this time last year by nearly 26%. 

The last incident for this pattern took place Monday. 

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.

Source - https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/05/06/caught-on-video-suspect-in-18-commercial-burglaries-across-manhattan/

Indiana police are searching for brazen thieves who stole four motorcycles by riding them right out the dealership’s front door. 

The Kokomo Police Department posted surveillance footage from a local Harley-Davidson dealership, showing the late Wednesday break-in.

The thieves entered the dealership at around 3:22 a.m., wearing “concealable clothing and motorcycle helmets.” They then selected motorcycles worth a total of about $95,000: a 2020 Street Glide Special and three 2021 Street Glide Specials, according to police.

As of Saturday, no arrests had been made and further details were not available, a police spokesperson told Fox News.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Det. Dustin Spicer at (765) 456-7194 or the Kokomo Police Department hotline at (765) 456-7017.

Source - https://nypost.com/2021/03/21/indiana-harley-davidson-store-broken-into-four-bikes-stolen/

New York (NY Daily News)

Three masked gunmen stormed a Queens backyard where they tied up five people and swiped $40,000 in a daring caught-on-camera heist, officials said. The crooks entered the backyard of the home near 146th St. and 116th Ave. in South Jamaica through an open side entrance around 5:15 p.m. Friday, and found five people relaxing on the deck by a heat lamp. Surveillance video released Saturday by police shows the gunmen binding their victims’ wrists and ankles with zip ties. They grabbed a 43-year-old man and brought him into the house where they pistol-whipped him, cops said. “Where’s the money?” one of the gunmen demanded as the suspects rifled through the belongings, police said. The crooks ran off with $40,000 and were last seen heading north on 146th St. The pistol-whipped man suffered a cut on his face, but refused medical attention. No other injuries were reported. Police described the thieves as dark-skinned men dressed in dark clothing, wearing either face masks or surgical masks. Two of the men had thin builds. The third had a heavy build, said cops. One of the three suspects was carrying a duffel bag, officials said.

Source- https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/ny-nyc-home-invasion-robbery-20210220-mfm57cxkgvah5gtucnadsx6qvm-story.html