11-Year-Old Migrant Boy Arrested as ‘Aggressor’ in NYC Subway Robbery Linked to String of Central Park Muggings
Larry Celona et al., New York Post, August 14, 2024
An 11-year-old Venezuelan boy was arrested as the main “aggressor” in a violent subway mugging — and has been linked to a larger string of robberies in Central Park being committed by migrant kids, police said Wednesday.
The baby-faced perp and a 17-year-old boy were both taken into custody hours after they allegedly attacked a straphanger on a Manhattan-bound 7 train at about 8:40 p.m. Tuesday near the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue stop in Queens, law enforcement sources said.
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The young suspects had the stolen phone with them when they were nabbed near the Roosevelt Hotel migrant shelter in Midtown Manhattan around 10:15 p.m., sources said.
Police officials said the 11-year-old was also caught on surveillance cameras using credit cards that were stolen during a series of robberies in Central Park.
“At this point in time, we’re ready to call it: This is a migrant robbery pattern,” NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell told reporters from Seventh Avenue and West 59th Street.
Police have linked roughly 10 robberies that have taken place inside or along the southern end of the greenspace to a group of up to 12 migrant boys or young men.
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A senior law enforcement official said police believe the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua is behind the migrant robbery crew and are investigating the possible connection.
The gang has lower-level members operating at city-funded shelters who enlist teens and young boys to go out and commit robberies.
The Central Park muggings date back to at least June 27, with the most recent also taking place Tuesday night.
Two young-looking crooks came up to a pair of 20-year-old men at West 62nd Street and the West Drive around 10:40 p.m. and snatched their jewelry, hat and vape pen before running off, cops and sources said.
It came less than 24 hours after three teen boys, 14, 16 and 17, were nabbed for robbing three male victims, 15, 21 and 35, of their AirPods and jewelry {snip}
The subway mugging later Tuesday involved four youngsters who surrounded the victim and snatched his phone before beating him.
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