Arrests in deadly robbery spree targeting people leaving Manhattan bars
NEW YORK - A man faces murder charges after dozens of drugging incidents, including as many as five that were fatal, involving people leaving bars in Manhattan.
The NYPD has linked at least 26 incidents between March 18th and December 8th, associated with the same crew.
"This is a violent robbery crew," Chief of Detectives James Essing said at a Thursday morning news conference.
Police say they have identified at least five possible suspects and have arrested two of them.
"They target their victims leaving bars, offering drugs in some cases, then either through force or when the victim passes out they remove jewelry, money, high-end watches, and phones from their victims," Essing said.
A Manhattan grand jury indicted Kenwood Allen, 33, of the Bronx in connection with the case. The NYPD declined to same the second person under arrest.
Allen has 17 prior arrests, most of which include grand larcenies and burglaries.
The indictment and arrest include charges of murder for a March 18th fatal overdose on 147th St. in Manhattan and murder for a July 30th fatal overdose on Ludlow St. in Manhattan.
Allen was also indicted for two robberies and one assault.
Police believe the group is targeting people that are coming out of the bars late at night because they're intoxicated.
They approach them and offer them drugs or cigarettes that are laced with a potentially deadly cocktail of drugs.
Police believe the drugs are being purchased over the black web. The mix in one of the deadly cases was a mixture of lidocaine, fentanyl, and cocaine.