A second off-duty NYPD cop has been mugged by a rampaging robbery crew — and cops are trying to determine if the heist was committed by the same violent crew who left another off-duty cop hospitalized with a cracked skull, police said Thursday.
The 26-year-old officer was hanging out with two friends on Dyckman St. in Inwood about 2:15 a.m. Friday when three masked men with guns stormed up to them.
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The trio pistol-whipped the cop’s 32-year-old friend before robbing all three of their jewelry, cellphone and wallets and ran to an SUV idling nearby, police said. The off-duty cop wasn’t injured.
Less than two hours later at around 4 a.m. the crew resurfaced in Inwood, this time on W. 203rd St. where they carjacked a 44-year-old man as he stood next to his 2022 Mercedes-Benz SUV. This time two crooks pulled guns on the victim before freeing him of his cell phone, wallet, car keys and car, cops said.
No arrests have been made.
Cops are trying to determine if the crooks are the ones responsible for jumping off-duty Police Officer Muhammed Chowdhury as he jogged along Olmstead Ave. in the Bronx, cops said. The thieves who attacked Chowdhury are also responsible for 18 other carjackings and robberies throughout the Bronx and Queens this month.
The crew allegedly kicked off the crime spree Aug. 1 with carjackings before switching up methods and robbing people on the street, police said.
During Tuesday’s attack, the assailants intercepted Chowdhury near Lafayette Ave. and began pounding on him before running off with his wallet and cellphone. The thieves left the Central Park cop nearly unconscious on the sidewalk with a cracked skull and bleeding on the brain.
He was taken to Jacobi Hospital, where on Wednesday family members said he was conscious and talking to his wife.
Cops released images and a video of the Inwood robberies hoping that someone can identify the suspects.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is urged to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
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