NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- Police are searching for two suspects in a weeks-long “bump-and-lift” pickpocketing spree at Bryant Park’s festive holiday market.
The NYPD released surveillance photos of the pair on Tuesday as the search for them continued.
At least 18 victims have been reported in the spree stretching from Nov. 20 to Dec. 3. In each case, the victim was bumped into only to later discover that their valuable or valuables were missing.
Each December, Bryant Park transforms into a “Winter Village” of holiday shops and is often packed shoulder-to-shoulder with shoppers—easy pickings for pickpockets, the NYPD warned.
The pickpockets have often struck in the evening, especially 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., although some of the thefts were in the morning and afternoon hours.
The items stolen so far include credit and debit cards, wallets, cellphones, Apple AirPods, MetroCards and a Gucci bag, which was lifted from a 29-year-old woman on the evening of Dec. 6.
The pair seem particularly interested in Apple iPhones—10 of the victims had one stolen from them.
The victims range in age from 18 to 67 years old, according to police. They include men and women, although all but two of them are women.
Seven of the reported thefts happened on Dec. 3, between 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Among the victims that day: a 67-year-old man who had his wallet and credit cards stolen, as well as two 25-year-old women who had their iPhones stealthily snatched. Three other women—ages 20, 23 and 35—had their iPhones stolen, while a 33-year-old woman discovered her wallet and credit card were swiped.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
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