Police: Suspects Pretended To Be Cops In Staten Island Robbery Ruses
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NYPD on Wednesday was searching for two suspects who allegedly pretended to be police officers as they robbed people on Staten Island.
The robberies happened on July 12 and Aug. 7 in the New Dorp and Midland Beach areas of Staten Island, police said.
Around 2 a.m. Sunday, July 12, two suspects came up to two other men, ages 29 and 22, in a white Chevrolet Malibu at the corner of Midland Avenue and Grimsby Street, police said. The suspects took out handguns and claimed to be police officers as they took $300 from the men and left, police said.
On the same day around 9:30 p.m., the first suspect came up to a 57-year-old woman in front of 2754 Hylan Blvd. and took her purse containing credit cards, a cellphone, and about $75 in cash, police said. The suspect then fled down Tysens Lane as a Good Samaritan chased him, police said.
But the second suspect came rolling up in a white Chevrolet Malibu and got on a two-way radio, pretending to be a police officer chasing the first suspect, police said. He told the would-be Good Samaritan that he would go after the first suspect, and the Good Samaritan should go get the victim, police said.
Another robbery involving just one suspect happened on Friday, Aug.7 around 1:15 a.m., police said. The suspect walked up behind an 18-year-old man in front of 260 New Dorp Lane and asked to see his ID, police said.
The victim took out his wallet, and the suspect ripped the wallet from the victim's hand and took $60, police said. The suspect then gave the victim his wallet back and ran off, police said.
Both suspects are described as light-skinned males in their mid-20s, police said. Police have released surveillance video of a car used in the first two incidents, and a sketch of one of the suspects.
Anyone with information was asked to call the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, log onto the Crime Stoppers website, or text ips to 274637 (CRIMES) and enter TIP577.
