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Central Park crime on the rise, 3 robberies in less than 24 hours

By and
Updated  August 14, 2024 5:45pm EDT
Central Park
FOX 5 NY

82-year-old woman assaulted in Central Park

Police sources said a man in his 30s pushed an 82-year-old woman Wednesday morning in Central Park by the tennis courts. It happened at approximately 10:17 a.m. FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini reports.

CENTRAL PARK - Crime in Central Park is on the rise as the NYPD searches for suspects in three separate robberies within 24 hours.

After two separate muggings on Tuesday, the NYPD is searching for another suspect in a robbery outside the park Wednesday. 

Wednesday morning

NYPD investigating assault near 97th Street

The NYPD is investigating an assault near the 97th Street Transverse. It happened just before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday morning at a tennis court.

Police sources said a man in his 30s pushed an 82-year-old woman Wednesday morning in Central Park by the tennis courts. It happened at approximately 10:17 a.m. 

The man pushed her and said "you shouldn't be here," police sources said.

The man then fled the scene. Police sources said she had minor injuries to her knees, nose, and elbows.

She was treated by EMS. 

Tuesday night

According to police, two male suspects approached a pair of 20-year-old men, struck up a conversation and then robbed them. 

It happened at West 62nd Street and West Drive before 10:45 p.m.

The suspects didn't display any weapons, but were able to get away with a chain and a vape pen. The victims were not injured.

No arrests have been made.

Tuesday morning

Around 1 a.m., three different people were robbed just outside the entrance to the park at 5th Avenue and 59th Street. 

Teens arrested for alleged Central Park muggings

A group of teenagers has been arrested for allegedly mugging three people in Central Park, police said. It comes at a time of heightened security concerns all around the park. FOX 5 NY’s Linda Schmidt has the details.

Police say the 15, 21 and 35-year-old victims were approached by a group of male suspects, one of whom claimed to have a gun and pointed to his waistband. 

The suspects allegedly took off with a pair of Apple AirPods and a chain necklace, but police eventually caught up with them. 

Three teens – ages 14,16, and 17 – were taken into custody, while one remains on the loose. None of the victims were injured.

NYC crime statistics

While that may be the case citywide, NYPD crime statistics show major crime is up by 46% in Central Park so far this year compared to the same time last year. Robberies, in the meantime, have surged by 200%.

"First message is we gotta keep this park safe. For a long time now, we are going to have cops out here so people see us," NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said. "Crime is up in this park because of robberies."

Chell told FOX 5 NY's Stephanie Bertini that the NYPD has made some arrests.

In the nearby Midtown North Precinct, overall crime has risen by 10%, and robberies by 87%.

"I think we such a vast large area, I think we can use it, we could do a better job of using drones to police city area from the sky," Adams said. "And there's some new technology that we're looking at that I think is going to assist us, we roll it out when it's time to do so."