Group of teen thieves strike at least 7 times in NYC

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - Four teens are wanted by the NYPD for at least seven robberies of restaurants and bars in Midtown Manhattan and Hell's Kitchen since last month.

Video of three of incidents was released by police. A knife was used in two other robberies.

On Sept. 29 just before 2 a.m., the suspects distract a male employee at Thalia on West 54th Street while one of them removed a cashbox from behind the counter. The group fled on foot.

On Oct. 17 at about 6:38 p.m., the suspects entered Ageha on 9th Avenue when the group distracted an employee while one of them grabbed the 37-year-old female victim's cell phone from behind the counter. When she tried to get her phone back, one of the suspects bent her fingers back and shoved her away.

On Oct. 21, 2018, at about 8:20 p.m., the suspects entered Swing 46 Jazz on West 46th Street  and asked customers for money. When the employees asked them to leave, the thieves distracted them while one of them reached behind the counter and took the 48-year-old female victim's cell phone. 

Cops describe the teens as black or dark-skinned Hispanics between 14 and 18 years old.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. The NYPD says all calls/texts are strictly confidential.