NYPD Auxiliary Officers Handcuff, Rob Food Deliveryman: Police

Two auxiliary police officers robbed a food deliveryman inside an East Harlem apartment building last week, handcuffing him as they stole his cash, wallet and iPhone, police say.

The 48-year-old deliveryman was bringing food to an apartment inside a building on East 102nd Street after midnight last Wednesday, Feb. 25 when he was met by two men who showed police shields and accompanied him into the elevator and to the 14th floor, according to the NYPD.

When the delivery worker went to the listed apartment, the resident said they never ordered any food, police said. The worker walked back to the elevator where the two men were waiting, and assaulted. 

The suspects allegedly forced the deliveryman out of the elevator, handcuffed him and took $180 in cash along with his wallet and iPhone, police said. 

The suspects then fled, leaving the deliveryman handcuffed in the stairwell. 

After an investigation, the NYPD determined the suspects were auxiliary officers James Kiernan, 22, of the Upper East Side, and Jordan Martinez, 22, of East Harlem.

"The police station is right down the block, how does this happen? That's crazy," said neighbor Russell Leary.

"The same people that's supposed to be protecting us at night, we're supposed to be walking down the street safe and they're out here robbing people," he said. 

They were arrested Friday on charges of robbery, burglary, unlawful imprisonment, criminal impersonation, assault and criminal mischief. It wasn't immediately clear if they had attorneys. 

Auxiliary officers are neighborhood volunteers in their local precincts, and are recruited, trained and equipped by the NYPD to provide extra "eyes and ears" for the police department.

-- Checkey Beckford contributed to this report. 

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