NEW YORK — Detectives are searching for a pair of teenage thieves who robbed two 20-year-old men inside Central Park, cops said Friday.
The search comes as the NYPD conducts a massive crackdown on the iconic greenspace in an attempt to curb a rise of robberies there, officials said.
The two victims were walking along West Drive near W. 62nd St. about 10:45 p.m. Monday when two crooks approached and forced them to give up their jewelry.
The suspects took three necklaces from one victim and a hat and a vape pen from the other before running off down West Drive toward Columbus Circle, where they entered the subway system.
Police recovered surveillance footage of the suspects entering the subway and released the images hoping someone could recognize them.
The two thieves could be part of a migrant crew responsible for the recent surge in robberies inside the park, police officials said.
Those in the crew include an 11-year-old boy who was apprehended Tuesday after he and another teen robbed someone of their cellphone on a Queens No. 7 train approaching the Vernon Blvd.-Jackson Ave. stop.
Police managed to track the phone to the Roosevelt Hotel and the child, who also had credit cards that were taken from a recent Central Park robbery on his person.
NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell called the crime surge in Central Park a “migrant robbery pattern.”
“That’s what we’re combatting,” Chell said at a news conference late Wednesday. “We think they’re responsible for most of them if not all.”
To tackle the increase, the department will use cops on horseback, bicycles, in cars and on foot to patrol the park’s 843 acres and will use drones to attack the problem from the sky, Chell said. They will be deployed from a new command post set up at Seventh Ave. and Central Park South.
As of Aug. 4, cops have seen a 222% jump in robberies in Central Park this year, with 29 incidents this year compared to nine by this time last year. Felony assaults have also increased in Central Park this year, from five by this time last year to 10 so far this year, cops said.
Robberies in the park began creeping up in the spring. By the end of April, cops were already investigating 18 robberies in Central Park and vowed to increase patrols, install cameras and bring in NYPD auxiliary officers to protect park goers.
In May, Central Park was added to the NYPD’s Drone as First Responder pilot program, where drones are flown over areas where 911 emergency calls have been made. The roof of the Central Park Precinct stationhouse was outfitted with equipment for drone takeoffs and landings.
On Tuesday, Mayor Adams said the NYPD “could do a better job in using drones” to police Central Park “from the sky.”
“There’s some new technology that we’re looking at that I think is going to assist us,” Adams added. “People must feel safe in all our parks in general, but specifically in Central Park, because of the large number of people who visit there.”
“When something happens in Central Park, it becomes a huge international story,” he added. “And so we’re on top of it. And the (NYPD) commissioner is responding accordingly.”
The two sought for the Tuesday night robbery in the park are described as Hispanic teenagers. One is described as having a slim build and was last seen wearing a black tank top, ripped jeans, white sneakers, and a red and white baseball cap.
His partner also has a slim build and was last seen in a black t-shirt, black ripped jeans, dark colored crocs and a black baseball cap.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.