Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that a 16-year-old has been charged with robbery, grand larceny and assault for forcibly snatching jewelry from women in three separate incidents in June and July, two on Merrick Boulevard and another on Roosevelt Avenue.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant approached unsuspecting pedestrians in broad daylight and forcibly grabbed jewelry from their necks. Thank you to our NYPD partners for apprehending the defendant, who will now be held responsible for his alleged actions. My office is continuing to investigate several unrelated chain snatching incidents throughout Queens.”

The 16-year-old defendant from Jamaica was arraigned August 13 by Queens Criminal Court Judge Marty Lentz on two criminal complaints charging him with two counts of robbery in the second degree, two counts of assault in the second degree, three counts of robbery in the third degree, three counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree, two counts of assault in the third degree, and petit larceny. Queens Supreme Court Justice Bruna DiBiase on Monday continued bail of $2,000 cash and $4,000 bond and ordered the defendant to return to court on September 15. He faces up to 15 years in prison, if convicted.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges, on June 24, at approximately 4:25 p.m. at the northwest intersection of 111^th Avenue and Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, the defendant walked past a 37-year-old pedestrian, then turned and reached for the jewelry around her neck. He grasped the pendant on the victim’s necklace and yanked with such force that it separated from the necklace. Then he fled with the pendant. The victim’s neck was scratched and she was left in substantial pain.

On the same day, about an hour later, the defendant allegedly approached a 65-year-old woman from behind near the intersection of Linden and Merrick Boulevards in St. Albans. The woman felt pressure on her neck and turned. At that time, she realized someone was pulling her jewelry from her neck. The defendant ran away with two necklaces belonging to the victim.

In the third incident, at approximately 12:30 p.m. on July 10, a 62-year-old woman was standing near the southwest corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 74^th Street in Elmhurst when the defendant allegedly pulled her jewelry from her neck with such force that the victim’s neck was scratched and she was left in substantial pain. He then ran away with two of her necklaces.

The defendant was arrested August 12 after he surrendered to the 113^th Precinct.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Nicholas Ripa of the NYPD Queens Robbery Squad, under the supervision of Sergeant Patricia Modena and by Police Officer Ryan Valinchus of the NYPD 113^th Precinct, under the supervision of Sergeant Guerdy Guerrier and Lieutenant Paul Aparo.

Assistant District Attorney Ranshitha Devendran of the District Attorney’s Strategic Investigations Bureau is prosecuting the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Tara DiGregorio, Bureau Chief, Rachel Stein, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive District Attorney for Investigations Joseph T. Conley III.