NEW YORK CITY (WPIX) — A 12-year-old girl walking home from school in Queens was dragged for several feet by two thieves on an e-bike who were after her necklace, police said Monday, as they asked for the public’s help cracking a pattern that now includes more than a half-dozen such incidents.
Investigators released images of the crooks, who have struck in the neighborhoods of Elmhurst, Corona, and Jackson Heights seven times dating back to Oct. 24. In that first strike, they targeted the pre-teen girl around 4:35 p.m. as she walked along Layton Street near Britton Avenue in Elmhurst, according to authorities.
Video of the incident, which is being withheld by WPIX due to its disturbing nature, shows the robbers riding up behind, then alongside the victim as she walked along the sidewalk. One of the men then reached out to grab the jewelry, but apparently wasn’t immediately able to wrest it from the girl’s neck. Instead, he dragged her down the sidewalk for several feet.
The girl at first stumbled to keep up as the e-bike’s driver accelerated, then fell onto her side and back before the vehicle crashed, the footage shows. One of the thieves ultimately ripped away her necklace, then the duo fled. The girl can be seen getting back on her feet after the attack, and police did not specify whether she required medical care.
The troubling theft was just the first of what investigators say is now seven incidents involving the pair. In the other six incidents, police say the pair targeted:
- A 37-year-old woman walking near 34th Avenue and 103rd Street in Corona around 2:20 p.m. Oct. 26. The crooks punched her in the face and tried to steal her necklace, but only broke it.
- A 43-year-old woman walking near 31st Avenue and 76th Street in Jackson Heights around 2:30 p.m. Oct. 26. The robbers shoved the woman and stole two necklaces from her.
- A 52-year-old man walking on 75th Street near Woodside Avenue in Elmhurst around 7 p.m. Oct. 26. The thieves stole his necklace from his neck.
- A 35-year-old woman walking along 73rd Street near 35th Avenue in Jackson Heights around 8:50 p.m. Oct. 26. The pair swiped the victim’s necklace from her neck.
- A 70-year-old woman walking on 77th Street near 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights around 3 p.m. Oct. 27. The duo ripped the victim’s necklace from her neck.
- A 48-year-old woman walking near Penrod Street and Otis Avenue in Corona around 12:45 p.m. Nov. 7. The men grabbed the victim’s necklace from her neck.
Investigators asked that anyone who recognizes the men contact the police.