The New York Police Department is investigating a spree of thefts targeting people in Times Square, and they suspect nearly two dozen young migrants are responsible.
Some of the culprits are as young as 11 years old, which authorities claim allows them to get away with the crimes.
As a result, they avoid jail and continue to target both New Yorkers and visitors.
According to police, they began by targeting Central Park this summer and have since moved on to Times Square.
“They’re as reckless and ruthless as any crew we’ve seen,” Assistant Chief of Detectives Jason Savino stated. “This core group of 20 individuals represents their starting point.”
Savino concentrates on gangs, asserting that asylum seekers residing at the Roosevelt Hotel comprise this particular group. They’re a subsection of the Tren de Aragua gang and refer to themselves as “los diablos” (the tiny devils of 42nd Street).
They even share updates about their increasingly serious offenses.
“It started with snatches, and then you saw wolfpack-type robberies where numerous individuals surrounded unsuspected tourists, frightening them, and then taking their properties,” according to Savino. “That certainly turned into knives, and then ultimately there were gunpoint robberies committed by the young crew.”
Anastacia Tucker always takes caution when she walks through Times Square, and the news of this gang will ensure she continues to do so.
“I mean, as a New Yorker, you should be, you know, just kind of comes with the territory,” Tucker went on. “But I think more police on foot also helps a better presence.”
Police claim they’re utilizing drones, covert procedures, and uniformed officers to track down offenders, but the main pitch is to judges.
“The DA is making recommendations that just aren’t adhered to,” Savino told the press. “We have to look at our judges and make them more accountable.”
According to the NYPD, the majority of the gang members are from Venezuela, leaving some of them alone without parents.
Police said to join the gang, they must dare to commit crimes or lick the subway floor.
The NYPD reports that crime has decreased in the last two weeks, a trend that they hope will continue.
