The NYPD is warning pedestrians on the Upper East Side about a series of headphone robberies, at least two of which turned violent.
Police shared details on four robberies -- three on the Upper East Side and one in the Bronx -- that took place in July where the suspect is seen coming up to the victims on a scooter, according to authorities.
The suspect is "snatching electronics from the person whether it’s headphones or cell phone, they’re taking it and off in seconds," NYPD Det. Anthony Nuccio tells News 4 New York. In some cases, police said the suspect punched the victim in an attempt to take their headphones.
The first robbery happened on July 3 around 5:30 p.m. when a 20-year-old man was approached by a person on a scooter on 79th Street, according to police. In that incident, police said the suspect hit the victim in the head with the fist unsuccessfully trying to remove his headphones.
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Later that evening, a 24-year-old woman was approached by a man on a scooter on 80th Street, police said. Investigators said the man on the scooter hit the woman in the head with his fit to get her headphones but was not able to get them.
Shortly after 8 p.m. on July 3, a man on a two-wheeled vehicle went up to a 25-year-old woman on East 82nd Street and took headphones off her head, police said.
NYPD officers said a similar incident took place on July 3 around 6 a.m. when a 42-year-old woman had her headphones forcibly taken from her head by a person on a two-wheeled vehicle. Police said it happened in the area of Wallace Avenue and Pelham Parkway.
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In all four incidents, police said no injuries were reported.
“If you’re wearing headphones maybe put one in the ear. Take one out. So you can hear your surroundings and just be super alert wherever you’re going," Det. Nuccio said. "Noise canceling? Turn the noise canceling off. Leave that for the gym or home. When you’re on the street, you should be hearing everything around you.”
Police are asking anyone with information on these incidents to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) or through the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/. A cash reward is being offered.
