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Trio robbed man of $559K of jewelry on Queens street before bolting in Benz, cops say
By
Paige Oamek
Published Jul 25, 2025
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By
Paige Oamek
Published Jul 25, 2025
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Hi-vis vests, a stun-gun and a Mercedes-Benz getaway car.
Police are looking for three people they say worked together to rob a man of more than $500,000 on the street in Eastern Queens.
According to police, a 39-year-old man was walking near 73rd Avenue and 180th Street in Fresh Meadows when he was approached by a masked man wearing an orange and yellow reflective vest, who shocked him with a stun gun and threw him to the ground. In a statement, police said a second man, also wearing a reflective vest, then “joined in to forcefully remove the victim’s jewelry,” valued at $559,000.
The two robbers were then picked up by a third person in a silver Mercedes-Benz SUV, the NYPD said.
A police spokesperson didn’t directly address a message asking if there had been any other recent similar incidents involving stun guns or high-value jewelry thefts, but said the investigation was ongoing. Police also didn’t describe the jewelry or say if they thought the robbery was targeted.
The NYPD described the first man as wearing an orange-and-yellow-striped reflective vest, a bucket hat, brown pants, black shoes, a white mask and black gloves. The second man was described as wearing a yellow striped reflective vest, a black hat, black pants, black shoes and black gloves.
In May, two men dressed as construction workers smashed and grabbed jewelry from a Midtown store, NBC reported at the time.
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public safety
queens
Paige Oamek
Paige Oamek is a reporter on Gothamist & WNYC's day-of general assignment desk.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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