Authorities are investigating two robberies in Central Park in less than 24 hours -- one involving the attempted rape of a woman and another involving a man on a Citi Bike.
In the case of the woman, police say the 28-year-old entered the park at Park Avenue and 110th Street around 9:30 p.m. Monday and was walking on East Drive when a man came up from behind and grabbed her. He dragged her off the path and searched her pockets, sexually attacked her and tried to rape her, authorities said.
He then took off with her phone, authorities said.
She was treated and released at a hospital after the attack, authorities said. Police are investigating the attack as an attempted rape as well as a robbery.
Hours before that attack, around 12:15 a.m. Monday, a group of five or six men pushed a man off a Citi Bike at 95th Street and West Drive, police say.
One of the suspects punched the man while another took the bike; the victim's phone fell to the ground amid the fracas and yet another suspect grabbed that, police say. The suspects ultimately left the bike with the man and fled with the phone.
Last week, police said a 21-year-old man was walking near the gazebo at Flagpole Parkway when eight or nine men punched and kicked him to the ground before stealing his smartphone and a tablet.
It's not clear if police believe the robberies are connected.
The NYPD said that rapes and robberies are down in the park this year, while assaults are up. There have been no reported rapes so far this year, compared with two through the same point last year. Fifteen people have reported being robbed, down from 23 in 2015. There have been six assaults, compared with three through the same point last year.
Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
