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Serial Robber Claiming to Have a Gun Steals Wallet on UWS Street, NYPD Says

By Emily Frost | February 19, 2016 4:47pm | Updated on February 23, 2016 10:16am
 The suspect robbed a man of his wallet at 2488 Broadway on the Upper West Side, police said.
The suspect robbed a man of his wallet at 2488 Broadway on the Upper West Side, police said.
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NYPD

UPPER WEST SIDE — A man claiming to have a gun robbed another man in broad daylight on Broadway near West 91st Street as part of a string of similar incidents, police said. 

Rondell Smith, 21 — who is accused of several other robberies as part of a three-day spree in the neighborhood that included stabbing a man on West 88th Street — robbed the 34-year-old victim in front of 2488 Broadway at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, according to police and the criminal complaint.

Smith requested directions from the victim before asking him for $50, the NYPD said. 

When the man refused, Smith mimed having a gun in his jacked and said, "I've got a gun with a silencer, I'm not afraid to use it. Give me all you got," according to the complaint. 

Smith then removed the man's wallet from his back pocket and fled, heading east on West 92nd Street toward Amsterdam Avenue, police said. The wallet contained $40.

Smith is charged with robbery, attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. His lawyer did not respond to request for comment.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that the robbery happened inside the Shishi clothing boutique, according to police. The robbery actually occurred on the street outside of the store. 

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