A series of six patterned robberies occurred in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village and Brooklyn’s Williamsburg from March to June this year. The robbers, consisting of two men and a woman, targeted customers dining at upscale restaurants, robbing them at gunpoint of high-value watches or jewelry before escaping on motorcycles. The stolen watches were valued at over $300,000.
The first incident took place around 7:29 pm on March 27 when a 33-year-old man was walking in front of 227 Avenue of the Americas in Greenwich Village. Two male robbers on a motorcycle approached him, brandishing a silver gun, and stole a $65,000 Rolex watch before fleeing north along Avenue of the Americas.
On May 24, around 4:46 pm, three men were dining outside a restaurant at 475 West Broadway when two male robbers targeted them. One robber grabbed a victim by the neck while the other showed a silver gun, robbing the victims of watches valued at $40,000, $35,000, and $8,500 respectively. They then fled east along West Houston St.
On May 31, around 6:50 pm, two men dining outside Marlow & Sons at 81 Broadway in Williamsburg were robbed at gunpoint of a $35,000 Audemars Piguet watch and a $5,000 Rolex watch, before the robbers fled west along Broadway.
On June 18, around 8:46 pm, a 39-year-old man was dining outside Carbone restaurant at 181 Thompson St when two male robbers on a motorcycle approached, stole his $100,000 Patek Philippe watch at gunpoint, and escaped north along Thompson St.
On June 21, around 9:35 pm, two men dining at Birds of a Feather restaurant at 191 Grand Street in Williamsburg had their iPhones, each valued at $1,000, and a $200 watch stolen at gunpoint before the robbers fled west along Grand Street.
On June 26, around 7:45 pm, a 58-year-old Canadian man was robbed at gunpoint in front of 115 MacDougal St, losing his $40,000 Rolex Presidential watch and a $2,000 18K gold bracelet to two armed robbers riding south on MacDougal St.
Police have stated that the robbers specifically target customers dining at high-end restaurants, holding them at gunpoint for their luxury watches or jewelry, often shouting “Rolex!” or speaking Spanish. In addition to the two male robbers, sometimes a female accomplice keeps watch during the robberies. The robbers make their escape on light motorcycles or off-road vehicles. Citizens with any information are encouraged to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-8477.