NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) -- The NYPD is searching for gun-toting thieves on mopeds who've stolen more than $350,000 in luxury watches and other items from people dining or walking in Manhattan and Williamsburg, police said Friday as they released images of several suspects.
At least six robberies since March have been linked to the crime spree, with the latest near Washington Square Park in the West Village on June 26.
The robberies have netted the crooks at least $328,500 in watches, as well as more than $25,000 in phones, cash and other jewelry, police said.
In each case, two thieves robbed the victims at gunpoint before fleeing on a "two-wheeled vehicle," police said. No serious injuries were reported.
In the most recent robbery, a 58-year-old man was walking at 115 MacDougal St., two blocks south of Washington Square Park, at 7:45 p.m. on June 26, when two men held him up at gunpoint and stole a $40,000 watch, $18,000 gold bracelet and $2,000 cash.
Days earlier, on the night of June 21, three men in their 20s were robbed at gunpoint of their phones and a watch while dining at Birds of a Feather, an upscale restaurant at 191 Grand St. in Williamsburg, police said.
And on the night of June 18, a 39-year-old man was robbed of a $100,000 watch in front of 181 Thompson St. in the West Village.
The robbers have also been linked to a May 31 robbery at the restaurant Marlow & Sons at 81 Broadway in Williamsburg, where two men were robbed of their watches worth $40,000 in total.
A week before that, on May 24, three men were robbed while eating at a restaurant at 475 West Broadway in SoHo. One of the men was placed in a chokehold as they were all robbed of watches valued at a total of $83,500.
In the first reported incident from March 27, a 33-year-old man was robbed of a watch worth $65,000 at 227 Sixth Ave. in Hudson Square.
The NYPD said last month that they were investigating more than 80 moped-involved robbery patterns citywide "encompassing hundreds and hundreds of incidents." Robberies involving mopeds were up more than 300% this year from 2023, and more than 8,000% from 2022, officials said, noting the vehicles provide a quick getaway for criminals.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.