Police: Suspect Linked To 6 Robberies, 7th Attempt In Central Park, Midtown

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Friday apprehended a suspect in six robberies and a seventh robbery attempt in Central Park and Midtown.

Cecil Richardson, 55, whose address police listed as the 30th Street Men's Shelter in Kips Bay, was arrested after he allegedly tried to rob a man in front of the Hollister Store at 668 Fifth Ave., near 53rd Street, police said.

The suspect aggressively approached the victim, blocked his path, and demanded money, police said. The officers came up to the suspect to intervene, but the suspect began walking fast down 53rd Street and Sixth Avenue. He hopped into a yellow cab at 50th Street, police said.

Knowing that traffic would be heavy on 50th Street, police chased the yellow cab on foot and caught up to it when it got stuck in traffic near Rockefeller Plaza, police said. The officers ordered the suspect to get out of the cab and arrested him, police said.

As CBS2's Tracee Carrasco reported, Richardson walked out of the Midtown North precinct Friday evening in handcuffs. He had a stone cold expression, with no apologies to the string of victims he was accused of mugging when he was questioned by reporters.

Richardson was charged with attempted robbery, unlawful imprisonment, and harassment, police said. He was also charged in six other incidents:

• Around 11:50 a.m. Friday, April 10, a person was walking out of the Central Park Zoo, at 60th Street and the East Drive in Central Park, when the suspect placed a hand on victim's shoulder while simulating a weapon and demanded money, police said. The victim handed over $20;

• Around 11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 3, a man was walking along Fifth Avenue near 48th Street when the suspect walked up and told him he would not hurt him if he handed over money, police said. The victim opened his wallet and handed over $90;

• Around 3:55 p.m. Saturday, May 23, a man was sitting on a park bench in Central Park near the 79th Street Transverse and the East Drive, when the suspect sat down beside him and demanded money, police said. The suspect took $18 from the victim, police said;

• Around 11:40 a.m. Sunday, May 24, a man was walking at 48th Street and Lexington Avenue when the suspect came up and simulated a weapon with his hand in his jacket while demanding money, police said. The victim handed over $80;

• Around 11:40 a.m. Friday, May 29, the victim was walking at 49th Street and Fifth Avenue, and the suspect said he would not hurt him if he handed over all his money, police said. The victim opened his wallet and the suspect took $50, police said;

• Around 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 3, a man was walking down Madison Avenue at 56th Street, when the suspect grabbed him by the arm and told him he would not hurt him if he handed over all his money, police said. The suspect took $300, police said.

Police had plastered "wanted" posters around the area following the robberies in which Richardson is now accused. The incidents happened at a time when many believed Central Park had shed its reputation for crime.

"It's a pretty safe place compared to what it used to be a long time ago," one passerby said.

"Once in a while you have an episode such as that, but more often than not, I feel pretty safe," added Jack Domeischel of Forest Hills, Queens.

But many were alarmed at the fact that these robberies all happened in broad daylight.

"Terrifying! I just didn't think that actually happened," said Brittany Portman of the Upper East Side.

"It's New York City," added Brett Cione of Hell's Kitchen. "Things happen anywhere, anytime, anyplace, so you just have to be vigilant."

New Yorkers already had been sounding an alarm about increased crime in Central Park.

Among the other high-profile incidents was a gang robbery near Heckscher Playground at the south end of Central Park around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9. A 17-year-old girl and a 19-year-old boy – were approached by a group of about 15 teens.

The female suspect had a quarrel with the female victim, and the suspect took out a Taser and punched the victim in the face, police said. As the female victim was being attacked, the male suspect took her purse and took her iPhone from inside, police said.

Two suspects have been arrested in that incident.

On the night of Sunday, May 10, a man stole a purse from a teenage girl at 109th Street and East Drive, police said.

A mugging also took place along the 81st Street Transverse near Belvedere Castle on the morning of Sunday, May 10. In that incident, a 45-year-old man was choked and robbed of his wallet and backpack by a gun-wielding suspect.

A robbery was also reported just after 1 a.m. Tuesday, May 19, at West 81st Street off Central Park West in The Ramble section of the park, CBS2 reported. Another still was reported on Saturday, May 25, targeting a 16-year-old in broad daylight on the east side of the park near 79th Street.

Prior to the recent spike in crimes inside Central Park beginning last month, police said there were only four incidents in the park this year.

"Every once in a while you have that aberration. That park remains one of the safest places in America," Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said last month.