A daytime walk along Central Park South turned violent on April 3, when a 71-year-old woman and a 70-year-old man were assaulted in an attempted robbery that left both of them knocked to the pavement. Police say the pair were in front of 36 Central Park South when a person came up behind the woman and tried to yank away her shopping bag. The suspect took off and has not been caught, and no arrests have been announced.
Over the weekend, the NYPD put out a wanted alert asking for the public’s help in tracking down the person involved, according to NYPD Crime Stoppers. The Crime Stoppers program offers rewards of up to $3,500 and accepts tips by phone or online, per the NYPD.
Where It Happened
The incident was reported outside 36 Central Park South, the address of the Park Lane Hotel, a busy Midtown stretch that faces Central Park between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, according to Wikipedia. With that kind of foot traffic, detectives are hoping there were people around who saw something or captured video.
Context For Midtown Walkers
Robberies and muggings in and around Central Park jumped sharply in spring 2024, prompting the NYPD to increase patrols and camera coverage in the area, NY1 reported. That backdrop has police on alert for park-edge thefts and quick snatch attempts aimed at pedestrians.
How To Help
Anyone with information or video is asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit an internet tip. Spanish speakers can call 1-888-57-PISTA, per the NYPD. Tips can also be sent via social media to @NYPDTips. Crime Stoppers says all calls are kept confidential, and tipsters may be eligible for a reward…