Police in the Bronx are looking for teenage armed robbers who allegedly have been targeting their victims on subway platforms, allegedly flashing a gun at them while demanding phones, cash and other items.
Police say the robbers have hit at least four times in the Bronx over the last couple weeks, with hte most recent incident on Nov. 3. Sometimes the suspect approach on foot, or they may ride up on a scooter, but a gun is always shown.
Surveillance footage from inside the East 143 Street and Saint Mary's Street station in Mott Haven around 10 p.m. on Oct. 31 shows a 16-year-old sitting on a bench on the northbound 6 train platform, when a suspect rides up to him on a scooter and takes out a handgun.
The suspect passed by the individual during the drive-by robbery before exiting the turnstile and demanding the victim's phone, police said. The teen sitting on the bench refused to hand it over, and the suspect left the station.
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Just minutes later, a man and woman were leaving the same subway station, when two people came up to them and took out a gun, according to police. The 26-year-old victims had taken from them their cellphones, a pair of Airpods and a wallet with $200 cash.
Three other suspects acted as lookouts during the robbery, police said, before the group took off.
The robbers truck again on Nov. 3, when a 15-year-old was leaving the East 238 Street and Nereid Avenue station in the Wakefield section just before 8 p.m., according to police. One suspect came up to the teen to show him a gun, while another took his cellphone and Nike backpack, which had a bank card and Macbook inside. Both suspects took off on foot.
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Once again, the suspects struck minutes later, this time at the White Plains Road and East 219 Street station in Williamsbridge. A 19-year-old was seated on a bench on the northbound platform when a man came up to him and demanded to hand over what he had on him. This time, the victim took off and fell down the stairs as he left the station.
In all four instances, the victims were not hurt.
Transit crime in the Bronx is down year-to-date, but so is ridership as New York City continues its recovery from the pandemic.
Anyone who recognizes the teenagers in the video is asked to call police immediately.
