Crime & Safety

3 Arrested in Violent Mugging on Butler Place

Teens charged with punching and trying to rob a man in the middle of the day near Grand Army Plaza.

 

Update, Oct: 8: At Monday night's 77th Precinct Community Council meeting, the precinct's c/o, Deputy Inspector Elvio Capocci, provided some additional details on the mugging. 

One of the muggers put the victim in a choke hold and another punched him. They then tried to take his phone but the man fought back and the teens "got spooked and left," Capocci said. 

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Someone called 911, and the cops came quickly enough to catch the teens as they were running off. The victim identified all three teens. One of the teens was also charged with two other muggings, Capocci said. 

===

Find out what's happening in Prospect Heights-Crown Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Three teens were charged with punching a man and trying to rob him in the middle of the afternoon near Grand Army Plaza.

A 44-year-old man was on the corner of Butler and Sterling places at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 24, when three teens came up to him from behind, according to a police report.

One of them punched him on the chin. Then the teens tried to take his cell phone go through his pockets for his wallet. However they fled before taking anything. The report did not say what interrupted the mugging.

The teens, ages 15, 16 and 17, were arrested around the corner on Sterling place and at 12:40 p.m. and charged with assault and robbery.

Although the report didn’t say how the teens were caught, police said that when a victim reports a crime right away, police usually drive the person around in the squad car to look for the suspects, which is what most likely happened in this case.

There have been 11 violent attacks reported in Prospect Heights since June. There is no indication they are done by the same person. In most, the victim is attacked before being asked for any property and in some no property was taken at all. 

In July, a teen was charged with two of the attacks plus a non-violent gun-point hold up, but attacks have continued.

- In September, a woman was punched repeatedly and choked in a late-night attack on Eastern Parkway.

- On August 25, a 23-year-old man was beaten at the corner of Underhill Avenue and Bergen Street at 10:30 p.m.

- On August 23, a 34-year-old man was beaten and robbed in a late-night mugging on Eastern Parkway between Underhill and Washington in which three men kicked and punched the man after knocking him to the ground.

- On August 6, a 23-year-old woman was pulled to the ground and repeatedly punched in face on Grand Avenue near Pacific Street, before a resident called the cops;

Let Patch save you time. Get local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here. 

- On August 4, a man was beaten and robbed by two attackers on Washington Avenue near Lincoln Place. 

- On July 30, three muggers punched and kicked a 26-year-old man in the head during a robbery on St. Marks Avenue between Carlton and Flatbush.

- On July 14, a 23-year-old man was taken to Methodist Hospital after a man attacked him on Bergen Street between Washington and Underhill.

- On June 29, a group of men used a golf club to attack and rob a 23-year-old as he was riding his bike on Dean Street at Grand Avenue.

- On June 13, a gunman pistol whipped a man during a mugging of a couple Eastern Parkway between Vanderbilt and Underhill.

- On June 4, a 24-year-old man went to the hospital after someone attacked him with a padlock at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Bergen Street.

Residents can discuss crime with the head of the head of the 77th Precinct at the 77th Precinct Community Council Meeting, held the second Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. Call the 77th Precinct community affairs office at (718) 735-0634 to find out each month's location.

Men or women wishing for a bicycle escort via the Brooklyn Bike Patrol can call 718-744-7592 between the hours of Sun.-Thurs., 8 p.m. to midnight, Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Prospect Heights-Crown Heights