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Kiddie Crime Wave: Thieving Children Target Manhattan Businesses
Edited by: TJVNews.com
A wave of crime is sweeping through Manhattan, but it’s not the usual suspects you might expect. Instead, it’s a group of young thieves, some as young as seven or eight years old, who have been wreaking havoc on businesses for months, as was reported by the New York Post. These pint-sized culprits have graduated from snatching money from unattended bags to brazenly stealing cash from open safes, leaving business owners and authorities grappling with a unique and concerning challenge, the report added.
Jacob Rabinowitz, the owner of the Amsterdam Ale House on the Upper West Side, had a chilling encounter with one of these young thieves right outside his bar, according to the Post report. He immediately recognized the child as one who had robbed his patrons back in February. Determined to protect his business and customers, Rabinowitz attempted to chase the young thief away. However, what happened next shocked him – the child allegedly threatened him. The audacity of a youngster telling Rabinowitz that the police couldn’t arrest him because he’s just a kid left the business owner stunned, the Post report added.
“He said he was going to beat my ass,” Rabinowitz told the Post. “It was this little kid telling me that.”
When the pub owner warned the child that he would call the police, the boy allegedly replied: “The police can’t arrest me, I’m just a kid.”
The gang of young thieves, affectionately referred to as “chubby-cheeked,” has made its presence known in both Manhattan and Brooklyn. As was noted in the Post report, their modus operandi involves targeting various businesses, leaving a trail of chaos and frustration in their wake. These children, some barely in their pre-teens, have managed to escalate their activities, causing business owners and authorities to take notice, according to the Post report.
One of the latest incidents occurred at The Stone Street Tavern in the Financial District of Manhattan, as was reported by the Post. A young boy, described as being around seven or eight years old, boldly stole a waitress’s purse. However, what sets this gang apart is their brazenness. The young thief didn’t merely snatch the purse and flee; instead, he proceeded to empty its contents in the bathroom, as stated in the Post report. This act of defiance and arrogance is emblematic of the challenges faced by businesses.
“We’re just telling other people what happened and we found out that a bunch of other places on the street had gotten hit with the same exact manner,” Raul Gomez, 24, a bartender at the tavern told the Post.
The owner of Stone Street Tavern said the boy, who was caught on camera, appeared to be part of the same group The Post reported had allegedly hit Rabinowitz’s businesses, which also include the Lexington Publick in East Harlem.
The spree began about eight months ago, when two children repeatedly wreaked havoc at Amsterdam Ale House, taking whatever they could snatch from unattended bags, the Post reported.
Things got out of hand in February when the pair grabbed food off a table, pushed a customer and flashed a knife, Whitney Kaufman, the manager told the Post.
A young thief was at it again at Upside on Amsterdam at West 89th Street on the Upper West side, stealing $600 cash from an open safe on August 13th, cops said, as was reported by the Post.
The manager of the bar told the Post that one kid absconded with about $700 in petty cash from the safe last Monday at 8:30 p.m. at Lexington Publick on Lexington Avenue and East 97th Street.
It is unclear if the same children are involved in all of the incidents, but several of the Manhattan bar workers said they appear to be.
As reports of these child thieves continue to surface, a pattern has emerged. The youngsters initially appear as ordinary panhandlers, often accompanied by their mothers. However, the Post reported that their actions quickly take a sinister turn when they enter businesses, seemingly unchecked by their parents. This is where they employ tactics to distract and deceive while targeting employee areas, including offices, rooms, purses, bags, coats, and wallets.
The simplicity of their approach is deceptive. They’ll pretend to head to the bathroom, often reserved for employees only, where they strike, according to the Post report. These young thieves are opportunistic, seizing the moment when employees are distracted or momentarily away from their belongings. Even when they are expelled from a business, they often return within a short time, the report added.
The situation has left business owners feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. The constant threat of petty theft is taking a toll on their establishments, employees, and patrons. Rabinowitz, in particular, expressed his frustration, highlighting the seemingly insurmountable challenge of keeping these young bandits at bay, the Post reported. He also expressed disappointment with the perceived lack of action being taken to address the issue.
The NYPD has initiated an investigation into the recent spate of safe thefts and is exploring whether a citywide pattern exists. The Post report said that while authorities grapple with this unique challenge, the safety and security of local businesses remain a top priority. The brazenness of these child thieves and the audacity of their actions have raised serious concerns, prompting business owners to seek solutions.
