MANHATTAN, NY – Police are asking the public to help identify a bicyclist linked to a string of grand larcenies targeting pedestrians’ phones across the 24, 26 and 32 Precincts.
The pattern spans late September through early November and involves a black bicycle used to approach victims from behind and snatch devices before fleeing.
Investigators said no injuries were reported in any of the incidents, which were concentrated around Riverside Drive, Broadway, Amsterdam Avenue, Lenox Avenue and Fifth Avenue.
The person sought was captured in attached media and was described wearing different clothing in several incidents, including red and black baseball caps, hooded sweatshirts and dark pants.
Key Points
- NYPD links 10 phone snatches to a single bicyclist operating in the 24, 26 and 32 Precincts.
- Incidents occurred between September 27 and November 4 and involved iPhone and Samsung models.
- Victims were approached from behind; the suspect fled on a black bicycle with no injuries reported.
Detectives said the first known case occurred on September 27 at about 9:10 p.m. near West 115 Street and Riverside Drive, where a 20-year-old woman had an iPhone 14 Pro taken as the bicyclist rode off westbound on West 115 Street.
On September 29 at about 7:45 p.m. near West 123 Street and Amsterdam Avenue, a 27-year-old man reported a Samsung A71 was snatched, and the rider, described in a red hooded sweatshirt and dark pants, fled eastbound on West 123 Street.
Roughly 45 minutes later on September 29 near West 120 Street and Broadway, an 18-year-old woman reported her iPhone 15 Pro was taken as the bicyclist fled westbound on West 120 Street.
At 9:24 p.m. the same night outside 370 Riverside Drive, a 19-year-old woman had an iPhone 15 Max taken along with a case holding her student ID and debit card, with the rider heading westbound on West 109 Street.
At 10:10 p.m. on September 29 near Broadway and LaSalle Street, a 21-year-old man reported an iPhone 16 Pro was taken by a rider traveling south on Broadway before fleeing northbound.
On October 2 at about 11:40 p.m. in front of 424 Cathedral Parkway, a 34-year-old woman reported her iPhone 14 Pro was taken, and the bicyclist rode westbound on West 110 Street.
On October 5 at about 6:55 p.m. on Riverside Drive near West 122 Street, a 26-year-old woman lost an iPhone 15 Pro Max to a rider described in dark clothing and a baseball cap who fled eastbound on West 122 Street.
On October 6 at about 8:15 p.m. near Lenox Avenue and West 143 Street, a 21-year-old woman reported an iPhone 14 Pro Max taken by a rider described in a red baseball cap with a gray hooded sweatshirt and gray sweatpants who fled northbound on Lenox Avenue.
On October 7 at about 7:20 p.m. in front of 2064 Fifth Avenue, a 25-year-old woman had an iPhone 15 taken by a bicyclist last seen in a gray hooded sweatshirt who fled south on Fifth Avenue, then westbound on West 127 Street.
In the most recent incident on November 4 at about 8:13 p.m., a 58-year-old woman dining outside 646 Amsterdam Avenue reported an iPhone 16 Max taken from her table as the rider, described as having a dark complexion and wearing a black baseball cap, black hooded sweatshirt, blue jacket, black pants and black-and-white sneakers, fled northbound on Amsterdam Avenue.
Across the 10 incidents, police said the bicyclist consistently approached from behind and used the speed and maneuverability of a black bicycle to leave the area before victims could react.
The investigation is active, and detectives are reviewing video from multiple locations along Riverside Drive, Broadway, Amsterdam Avenue, Lenox Avenue and Fifth Avenue that align with the reported times and directions of flight.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, submit tips at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or via the NYPD Crime Stoppers app, with all calls confidential.
The individual described is wanted for questioning in connection with the pattern and has not been charged.