GREENPOINT — A group of muggers attacked four victims within a two hour span as part of a recent spike in robberies that has residents on edge, police said.
The first robbery took place at 3:10 a.m. on Sept. 25, near the intersection of Jackson Street and Meeker Avenue, police said. A 26-year-old man was skateboarding with friends when he was approached by a group of four men.
One of the men grabbed him from behind and dragged him to the ground, another snatched his backpack, while a third took the man's skateboard and hit him in the back with it, police said.
They then darted off with the man's backpack which had a $100 Pentax camera, an iPhone 6, and a copies of Patti Smith's "Just Kids," Andy Warhol's "Philosophy of Andy Warhol," and Vladimir Nabokov "Lolita" inside, according to police.
About an hour later three robbers struck again on Jewel Street near Meserole Avenue. One of the robbers hit the 34-year-old victim in the face with an unknown object and took his iPhone, wallet, $300 and MetroCard, police said. The man was rushed to the Wyckoff Medical Center where he needed eight stitches for a gash across his chin, police said.
Fifteen minutes later at 4:30 a.m. two men attacked a 32-year-old victim who was walking on Diamond Street near Meserole Avenue, police said. The muggers punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground and went through his pockets, stealing his Samsung Galaxy 7, a wallet, $80, and his bank cards.
Finally in the last attack that night, two men approached a 33-year-old walking south on Leonard Street, at Engert Avenue, according to police. One of them had a skateboard and another flashed a knife, police said. The man surrendered his iPhone 6 and American Express card, though he wasn't injured.
Last week, police released statistics that show Greenpoint saw an unusual spike in robberies, five times the average amount, which police believe may be linked to crew activity in Ridgewood.
It wasn't clear if the suspects they're currently seeking were connected Ridgewood's "Cashing Out" crew who 94th Precinct Commander Capt. Peter Rose said was responsible for four Sept. 24 robberies.
Anyone with information can contact NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
