STATEN ISLAND — A man approached four people, asked for the time and then stole their cellphones at various spots in St. George and Tompkinsville, the NYPD said.
The suspect first approached a 48-year-old man at the My Family Pizza, at 340 Victory Blvd., and asked him for the time on Dec. 2 at about 6:20 p.m., police said. When the victim took out his phone to get the time, the man punched him in the face and took his phone.
The suspect stole the man's backpack and Samsung Galaxy phone and fled on foot, police said.
The victim had swelling and bruising to the left side of his face but refused medical attention on scene, police said.
The suspect next struck on Dec. 4 when he and another man approached a 14-year-old boy at the corner of Hamilton Avenue and Daniel Low Terrace and asked for the time. When the boy took out his iPhone, one of the suspects grabbed it and the two fled on foot, police said.
On Dec. 15, at about 5p.m., the suspect approached a 33-year-old woman in front of a home near Cebra Avenue and Victory Boulevard and asked for the time. When she took out her iPhone 6, the suspect grabbed it and ran away, police said.
The suspect last struck on Dec. 30, when he came up to a 33-year-old man in front of 8 St. Pauls Ave. at about 4:40 p.m. and asked for the time. When the victim looked at his iPhone 6, the suspect grabbed it and ran away, police said.
The suspect is described as a 6-foot tall man weighing 160 pounds, police said. The second suspect who helped steal the phone on Dec. 4 was described by police as a 5-foot-11-inch man.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.
