Group of Men Targeting Cab Drivers, Passengers for Robberies Near Empire State Building

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A group of men have targeted cab drivers and their passengers in a series of six robberies dating back to early July, police said.

Police detailed the series of crimes as they are looking for suspects.

The first robbery occurred on the afternoon of July 10 near Fifth Avenue and 36th Street when two men got into a cab and asked to go to the Bronx. Instead, they stole the driver's iPhone and cash from his pocket and fled.

Just four days later, a suspect again targeted a cab driver in the same area, hopping into a cab's front seat and stealing the driver's wallet.

On July 16, this time at 10:06 p.m., two men entered a cab near 38th Street and the Avenue of the Americas and stole money from the armrest.

At 349 Fifth Avenue on July 18, just steps from the Empire State Building, three men jumped in a cab as it was dropping off passengers and one stole cash from the center console.

Police said the final two robberies took place on July 22. The only robbery which didn't take place near the Empire State Building occurred as two men stole a cab driver's backpack near Union Square. Then, just 45 minutes later, a man approached a cab at 33rd Street and asked to go to Brooklyn. While he was talking to the driver, a second man jumped in the passenger seat and stole money from the cab's center console. The driver attempted to stop the robbery, but was punched in the face by one of the men.

Police obtained surveillance footage from the final robbery and assault. In the video, the suspects can be seen approaching multiple taxis right in the middle of traffic.

The suspects are described by police as black men, in their late teens or early 20s, with slim builds and medium complexions. One man has a Batman tattoo on his left arm.

Photo/Video Credit: NYPD