Man threatens to shoot teens during separate Harlem robberies: NYPD

The NYPD has released surveillance video of a suspect they say is wanted for three separate robberies in the past two months in which he targeted teens entering their apartment buildings.

The first incident occurred on March 19 at about 1:15 p.m. near West 111th Street and Lenox Avenue when the suspect followed a 16-year-old boy into his apartment building’s elevator, police said. There the suspect threatened to shoot the victim if he did not give up his cellphone. The boy listened and the suspect fled on foot.

Two days later on March 21 at about 4 p.m. again near West 111th Street and Lenox Avenue, the suspect followed a 17-year-old boy into the elevator of his apartment building, according to cops. The suspect once again threatened to shoot the victim if he did not hand over his property. The boy listened and gave the man his cellphone, $10 and a MetroCard. The suspect then fled.

The suspect struck again this past weekend on April 3 at about 9:50 a.m. near West 111th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue when he followed an 18-year-old victim into his apartment building’s elevator, according to authorities. The suspect again threatened to shoot the victim if he did not give him his property, however the victim refused and pushed his way past the man – who then fled the building.

Police described the suspect as a black man, between 20 to 25 years old, 6 feet tall, and 150 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black hooded jacket, blue jeans and dark-colored sneakers.

Anyone with information in regards 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).

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.