Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Flashback to the Days of Mugger Money
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 15, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 15, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The violent mugging that turned fatal last week prompted the NY Times to compare people's attitude towards crime safety today versus those of two decades ago, when people would carry mugger money around. (When you Google "mugger money," the first thing that comes up is a 1989 NY Times article, "Even the Nun Have to Carry Mugger Money.") While many people mentioned how safe the city is these days, last week we did hear about a Park Slope mugging (a woman gave the muggers her bag but yelled and neighbors appeared, some chasing the muggers into the park) and one man's relatively recent mugging in not-yet-gentrified Bushwick. If anything, it seem to help if one is aware and walks with confidence.
As for Maurice Parks, the 5 train conductor who was mugged and stabbed last Thursday - before he used his own knife to defend himself, the Post reported it was unlikely he would face charges related to a bystander's death. During the melee, bystander Flonarza Byas was killed; it's still unclear why Byas was there (was he helping Parks? did he think the muggers were being attacked? did he join in the robbery?). Parks may face a summons for carrying an illegal weapon.
A third man was arrested for mugging Parks; a 22-year-old wounded by Parks and a 15-year-old have already been arrested. And Parks, a black belt in jujitsu, remains in the hospital. A jujitsu classmate of Parks, Herbert Davis, told the the NY Times that even though jujitsu is about avoiding and defusing conflict, Parks may have been compelled to use a weapon because he was outmatched: "He did not deal that hand. He ended up in the poker game of his life. And he happened to have an ace up his sleeve.”
Tagged
As
bushwick
crime
Flonarza Byas
Maurice Parks
money
mugging
ny times
park slope
stabbing
the city
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC has a plan to stop homeless people from cycling between hospitals and the streets
The Bridge to Home program, which began last year, will officially expand to Brooklyn on Tuesday.
By
Karen Yi
Published Sep 29, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. ET
Early Addition: Billy Joel is auctioning off 70 of his motorcycles
Because he doesn't need that many bikes, here are your early links: NYC Ferry fares could be going up, Hell's Kitchen climbing gym closing, Jalen Brunson just wasn't that funny on SNL and more.
By
James Ramsay
News
Early Addition: Billy Joel is auctioning off 70 of his motorcycles
Because he doesn't need that many bikes, here are your early links: NYC Ferry fares could be going up, Hell's Kitchen climbing gym closing, Jalen Brunson just wasn't that funny on SNL and more.
By
James Ramsay
Man dragged to death by Subway in Brooklyn after getting caught on closing doors
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Upper East Side braces for affordable housing fast track, and backlash from residents
By
David Brand
Plan to modernize NYC's diesel-spewing produce market falls apart under Mamdani
By
Elizabeth Kim
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .