Police say the bandits generally work in pairs, but in some cases they have worked in a group of four, and have struck 21 times in Manhattan and Queens since September.
The latest robbery happened on January 18 in Astoria, when 16-year-old had his AirPod Max headphones snatched from him while standing on Steinway Street.
The price tag of the headphones is around $550.
“They will ride up on an unsuspecting victim and snatch their headphones right off their heads,” said NYPD Capt. Tawee Theanthong.
Police have released surveillance images of four suspects, seen riding a Citi Bike and moped.
They are described as males with medium complexion.
Capt. Theanthong with the NYPD’s Central Robbery Unit says the department is cracking down on illegal mopeds, but the biggest challenge in this investigation has been tracking the headphones once they are stolen.
“These AirPods can be tracked, but they are savvy,” he said. “They know to turn them off or reset them after a steal and they do sell them again.”