An early evening electronics grab at the Union Square Best Buy has NYPD detectives asking for the public’s help in finding a man who allegedly flashed what looked like a gun handle, then walked out with several devices. Investigators say the theft happened on Saturday, June 13, at about 5:00 p.m. inside the store on East 14th Street.
Photos show suspect inside the store
Over the weekend, NYPD Crime Stoppers posted surveillance stills and a brief summary of what happened. According to NYPD Crime Stoppers, the unidentified man allegedly “brandished what appeared to be the handle of a firearm” before removing several electronics and leaving the scene. The bulletin does not name a suspect and asks anyone who recognizes the man in the images to contact investigators.
Where it happened
The incident is listed at the Best Buy on East 14th Street, the chain’s Union Square location at 52 E. 14th St. The store’s official listing confirms that address on its website, according to Best Buy. Union Square’s heavy foot traffic and the growing presence of door-cam video in nearby buildings often give detectives extra eyes on the street in cases like this.
Why police released the images now
Detectives commonly circulate surveillance stills days or weeks after an incident when they are hoping a tip or privately recorded video will help put a name to a face. Local reporting has highlighted the department’s recent reliance on Crime Stoppers bulletins to broadcast surveillance images and encourage residents and merchants to review their own footage, according to recent reliance on Crime Stoppers bulletins. Preserving original video files with timestamps can be crucial for matching faces and lining up the sequence of events.
How to submit tips
Anyone with information, including doorbell or phone video from the area, is urged to save the original file and note the time and direction of travel before sharing it with investigators. Tips can be called in to the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS or the Spanish line at 1-888-57-PISTA, and can also be submitted anonymously online through the program’s portal, according to the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers page. The original Crime Stoppers bulletin includes the same contact options along with the surveillance images shared by police.
Legal note
Under New York law, displaying what appears to be a firearm during a theft can be one of the factors that raises robbery charges to a higher degree. The state’s robbery statutes spell out how showing a weapon or making a threat can affect the level of the charge and potential penalties, per N.Y. Penal Law ยง160.15…