SOHO — A man carrying a newly purchased pair of $250 sneakers and his friend were attacked by five men in an early-afternoon robbery in SoHo last weekend, police said.
The victims, both 20-year-olds from Brooklyn, told police that they were approached by the group of young men as they walked on Greene Street, near Spring Street, at about 11:50 a.m. on Saturday.
Some of men in the group asked if they could buy the victim's new shoes, which he was carrying in a bag, police said.
When the man refused to sell, one of men grabbed the bag, ripping it and letting the sneakers fall to the ground. As the victim tried to pick up the shoes, one of the robbers began to repeatedly punch him in the face — his friend tried to intervene and ended up getting hit as well, police said. The men then ran off with the sneakers.
Police arrested one person, 19-year-old Warren Rose, and charged him with two counts of second degree robbery.
Police were still investigating the theft as of Wednesday.
