Brazen Daylight Robbery Targets 99-Year-Old Manhattan Landlord
A scheming gunman in a ski mask executed a shocking heist against a 99-year-old landlord in Manhattan, making off with over $20,000 in a midday robbery that has left the community in disbelief, according to police reports.
The audacious criminal contacted the elderly property owner just after 10 a.m. on Monday, claiming to have a package that needed to be delivered to one of the apartments in the building located on West 187th Street near Audubon Avenue in Washington Heights, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny revealed.
In a worrying twist, the suspect requested that the elderly gentleman meet him at the building’s side entrance. This raised concerns for the police, as it suggested intimate knowledge of the property. “You would only know that was a side entrance if you’re familiar with that building,” noted Chief Kenny.
Upon the victim’s approach to open the gate, the assailant burst in, pushing past him. “The victim quickly realized something was off,” explained Kenny. “Faced with a dire situation, the 99-year-old fought back, resulting in his hand getting crushed between the gate and the metal frame, requiring stitches for his injury.”
Once inside, the suspect forcibly guided the victim to the basement of the five-floor residence, where he pressed a firearm into his back and ordered him to unlock the office door, as described by police officials.
“You have to be familiar with that building, familiar with this gentleman’s daily routine to know that his office was in the basement,” Chief Kenny reiterated.
After gaining access to the office, the assailant seized at least $20,000 in cash, specifically rent payments stored in a cabinet. This amount also included funds from tenants of two other buildings the elderly landlord owned across the street.
“He is responsible for collecting the rents, and someone clearly knew that he kept the money in that cabinet,” Kenny pointed out. “It was evident that the perpetrator had knowledge of the building’s layout and the victim’s responsibilities.”
The suspect, speaking only Spanish, escaped with the substantial amount of cash and remains at large as of Thursday. Witnesses described him wearing a black ski mask, black gloves, a gray sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and white sneakers, as police released footage showing him walking casually on the sidewalk.
The victim was transported to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, where he was treated for two broken fingers and a hand laceration.
Authorities are urging anyone with information about the robber’s identity or whereabouts to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish-speaking individuals, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
Community members can also submit tips anonymously by visiting the Crime Stoppers website, or by reaching out on X at @NYPDTips.
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