A trio of armed robbers is targeting well-heeled businessmen for dramatic heists on Brooklyn streets.
The threesome mugged entrepreneurs while the victims were driving around with thousands of dollars in cash and checks, sometimes coordinating several cars to block in their victims’ vehicles while they robbed them of a total $86,000 in three stick-ups.
The cutpurses first struck on Coney Island Avenue and Slocum Place in Kensington, where they approached a 62 year-old-man as he was about to enter his van at 6 am on Nov. 28. One of the men pressed a handgun to the victim’s head and demanded he fork over the dough while the second rogue entered the man’s vehicle and removed his keys, cellphone, $5,000 in cash, and $40,000 in checks. The ruffians fled in a black sports utility vehicle driven by a third guy, according to a police spokeswoman.
More than a month later on Jan. 16, the trio ambushed the same 62-year-old — this time on Senator Street in Bay Ridge. The victim was driving his van between Fourth and Fifth avenues at 9:15 am when a light-colored Honda Odyssey swerved in front of him, while a white Ford Passenger van pulled up behind the victim’s car, blocking his escape, said police.
A third bandit approached on foot, opened the victim’s car door, dragged him out, and hopped in the van, and drove off. Police discovered the stolen van abandoned three blocks away on 68th Street and Seventh Avenue with $12,000 in cash and $9,000 in checks missing later that day, according to a department spokeswoman.
On Feb. 6, the bandits attacked a pair of businessmen in Bensonhurst. A brute placed a 31-year-old man in a chokehold as he was walking to his van on Bath Avenue between Bay 19th and Bay 20th streets at 6:30 am and slammed him to the ground as he riffled through his pockets, removing the man’s cellphone, wallet, and a bag that contained approximately $20,000 in cash and checks, according to the police.
The second bruiser rushed a 22-year-old man sitting in the driver’s seat of the parked van and tried to pry him out of the vehicle as a third goon stopped his faded black Nissan Maxima in front to block its escape, authorities said. The two men jumped in the Nissan and fled on Bath Avenue toward Bay 20th Street, said officials.
Police described the first suspect as a bald man with facial hair in his 30s. The second man was last seen wearing a dark-colored jacket with a black skull cap, and police were unavailable to provide a description of the third suspect.
Cops would not say what business the victims were in.
L&B Spumpoi Gardens owner Louis Barbati was killed over the summer in what police described as a failed robbery attempt, but officials say that botched robbery of a high-profile borough business man is unrelated.
Police are asking anyone with information about crimes to call (800) 577–8477, submit tips at www.nypdc
