We’ve just received a notice from Dean Terry Martinez concerning an attempted robbery on November 12, 2011 at about 7:30 pm in a brownstone lobby on W 114th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam. Note that the security alert came from NYPD, and so was not necessarily a Columbia building.

The suspect, pictured after the jump, followed the victim into the hallway, displayed a gun, and demanded his iPhone. He demonstrated the same behavior when approaching the second victim. While the wording of these cases is somewhat unclear, it appears that upon receiving the surrendered phones of the two victims, the suspect returned the phones to them when he realized that they were not actual iPhones.

The suspect, described by the NYPD as “Male/Black/30 yrs/5’8”/160 lbs/ black hat/green waist length jacket/ blue jeans,” then fled the building and ran away down Amsterdam Avenue.

Columbia University
Department of Public Safety
SECURITY ALERT
ARMED ROBBERY 
We have been notified by the NYPD, that on November 12, 2011 at about 7:30 p.m. two males were the victim of an attempted robbery in the lobby of a brownstone on W. 114 St. between Broadway and Amsterdam Ave.  The suspect shown in the photo below was sitting on the steps of the brownstone and followed the first victim into the hallway.  He displayed a gun and demanded the victim’s I-phone.  When the victim stated he didn’t have an I- phone, the male gave it back to him.  The second victim entered the hallway and the suspect demanded his I- phone.  Once again the suspect handed it back when he found out it was not actually an I- phone.  The suspect left the building and fled on foot down Amsterdam Ave. The following description was given to the police:

Male/Black/30 yrs/5’8”/160 lbs/ black hat/green waist length jacket/ blue jeans.

If you have any information about this crime, contact the 26Pct. Detective Unit at 212-678-

1351.

Ken Finnegan

Director, Investigations and Technology Projects

November 15, 2011

212-854-4790