Burglary tag team that busted into 10 restaurants across Manhattan's Chinatown and East Village in three-month $15K crime spree evade police
- NYPD is looking for two men between 40 and 60 years old in connection to crime spree that took place between March and June
- Ten restaurants were ransacked in Manhattan's Chinatown and East Village, with thieves stealing more than $15,000 in cash and electronics
- In each case, one of the crooks would burst through the front door of an eatery after dark and ransack it, while the other would act as lookout
- Pinky's on East 3rd Street was hardest hit, losing $4,300 worth of cash and property during June 18 heist
- First documented incident took place on March 7, when bandits broke into Fong On in Chinatown and removed $600 from cash register
- Latest incident took place on June 24, when burglars hit Sammy's Halal on First Avenue; surveillance video captured both suspects near the scene
Police in New York City are hunting for a pair of burglars who are accused of ransacking 10 restaurants in Manhattan over a three-month period and getting away with more than $15,000 in cash and loot.
According to the NYPD, the brazen spree lasted from March to June, and targeted businesses in Chinatown and the East Village.
In each case, one of the crooks would burst through the front door of an eatery after dark, and steal cash, electronic equipment, or both.
The NYPD is looking for these two men between 40 and 60 years old in connection with a burglary spree targeting 10 Manhattan restaurants
This map shows the dates and locations of the 10 restaurant burglaries that have been attributed to the two suspects
Meanwhile, the other suspect would remain outside, acting as a lookout to alert his accomplice in case of trouble, reported amNY.com.
On Tuesday, police released surveillance video showing both suspects, which was recorded during the most recent burglary that took place on the night of June 24 at Sammy's Halal on First Avenue in the East Village.
During that heist, the thieves got away with $1,400 in cash and fled in an unknown direction.
According to the NYPD, the first documented incident in the crime spree took place just before midnight on March 7, when the brazen bandits ransacked Fong On eatery on Division Street in Chinatown, lifting $600 from the cash register.
Over the next two nights, the dastardly duo burglarized Tio Pio on East 14th Street and Ramen Setgagya on St Mark's Place, with the back-to-back heists netting them nearly $4,000 worth of cash and electronics.
The first documented incident took place on March 7, when the bandits broke into Fong On in Chinatown and removed $600 from the cash register
Just before 4am on March 8, the thieves burglarized the Tio Pio eatery at 250 East 14th Street in the East Village, stealing $450 in cash
Less than 24 hours after the Tio Pio heist, the crooks broke into Ramen Setagaya on St Mark's Place and got away with $3,450
The next crime in the series took place on March 31, when the bandits broke into Hunan Bistro on 3rd Avenue, lifting $2,700 in cash and gadgets.
After a two-week hiatus, the pair of purloiners resumed their rampage, hitting in a span of seven nights La Mia Pizza and Greenwich Market Place, located next door to each other on 4th Avenue, followed by GIA on Bowery, Pinky's on East 3rd Street and the Village Cafe and Grill on East 4th Street.
The rapacious rogues have been dormant since the June 24 burglary targeting Sammy's Halal.
On May 31, the same perps hit Hunan Bistro at 96 3rd Avenue, stealing $2,700 in cash and electronics
After a two-week hiatus, on June 13, the greedy duo burst into La Mia Pizza on 4th Avenue and removed $750
Just hours later, the Greenwich Marketplace next door to La Mia Pizza was stripped of $700
On June 18, GIA at 334 Bowery was broken into and stripped of $750 worth of items, including an iPad and a tool kit
On June 19, the Village Cafe and Grill on East 4th Street fell victim to the bandits, who stole $500 from the cash register
The last documented incident in the crime spree took place on June 24, when the thieves hit Sammy's Halal on First Avenue in the East Village and got away with $1,400
Investigators have described the suspects as men between 40 and 60 years old, both with a light complexion, standing between 5 feet 90 inches and 6 feet tall, and weighing about 190lbs.
The restaurant industry in Manhattan is still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying restrictions, which have left many businesses struggling to make ends meet, and forcing others to close.
In East Village alone, at least 54 eateries and bars shut their doors for good during or after the lockdown, making it the New York City neighborhood hardest hit by COVID from a business perspective.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.
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