The NYPD is searching for a group thieves they said are targeting UPS and FedEx trucks across NYC, stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise. NBC New York’s Gaby Acevedo reports.
A group of at least five people have been targeting UPS and FedEx trucks across New York City for months and getting away with high-priced items, according to police.
The NYPD on Thursday released images of the burglary suspects --- one woman and four men --- as they asked the public to help investigators identify the package thieves. The first incident occurred as early as April 1 in the heart of Midtown near Rockefeller Center, and the latest took place blocks away on Nov. 5 near Bryant Park.
Two of the suspects acted as lookouts while others either "unlawfully entered" delivery trucks or broke into the trucks using a tool, police said. Once inside, the others stole hundreds of packages, some of which contained luxury goods like Gucci brand items and iPhones, as well as jewelry.
Exclusive video obtained by NBC New York showed one of the suspects, dressed in brown, going into a UPS truck during the day. The heists have taken place in midtown, the Lower East Side, Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Long Island City.
The thieves have made off with more than 230 boxes with well over a quarter of a million dollars in stolen goods, according to police.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
Here's a breakdown of the eight separate incidents, according to the NYPD:
Manhattan news
From Midtown to the Upper West Side to the Lower East Side and all points between, NBC New York covers Manhattan news, weather, traffic and more.
April 1: 55 West 48th St.
Police say one burglar accessed a UPS truck and took 84 packages. The person fled on foot.
May 10: 860 Washington Ave.
Two suspects removed eight Gucci boxes, worth about $29,730.00, from a FedEx truck.
June 4: 32 West 45th St.
Two unidentified people used a "burglar tool" to get into a UPS truck while two others acted as lookouts. They stole packages containing what police say were precious metals.
June 7: 551 Madison Ave.
One suspect got into a UPS truck and took several clear plastic bags with 122 packages inside.
Oct. 15: 30-30 47th Ave.
Two people pried open the door of a UPS truck and stole multiple packages while another person acted as lookout.
Oct. 18: 168 Ludlow St.
One suspect broke into a locked UPS truck and got away with nine iPhones, two Android phones and one Apple watch. The items are valued approximately at $9,500.
Oct. 31: 448 5th Ave.
Three individuals stole a package with more Apple products, valued at approximately $13,450, from a locked UPS truck.
Nov. 5: 512C 5th Ave.
One person removed two packages from a UPS truck.
UPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
