Harlem Panhandler Steals $30 From Teenager Trying To Help Him: Police

HARLEM, NY — Police are searching for a man who robbed a 19-year-old after the victim agreed to spare the suspect some change, police told Patch.

The accused robber approached the teenager on Feb. 6 around 2:45 p.m. at the Saint Nicholas Avenue and West 145th Street subway station and asked the 19-year-old for some money, police said. The victim agreed to lend the man some money and pulled out his wallet, police said.

When the man pulled out his wallet the robber took advantage of the teen's generosity, police said.

The man snatched a $10 bill from the wallet and ran off, police told Patch. But the robbery wasn't over. As the victim was leaving the subway the suspect approached him again and pretended that he would give back the $10, police said. The man again took out his wallet and the alleged robbed again reached in — this time grabbing a $20 bill, police said.

The suspect then threatened to hurt the teenaged victim and ran off, police said. The victim did not suffer any injuries, police said.

The suspect is described as a man in his late teens or early 20s who weighs around 160 pounds, police said. The accused robber was wearing a white shirt, dark blue jeans and a black skull cap at the time of the theft, police told Patch.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577. All tips are confidential.

Photo by NYPD