Police hunt 'Haggler After Midnight' mugger targeting certain victims in bizarre crime spree
The New York Police Department is hunting a moped-riding, knife-wielding robber whom they have dubbed the "Haggler After Midnight" for his peculiar mugging approach, saying his holdups are getting more brazen and violent.
Since early November, the suspect has targeted 11 victims in Brooklyn and Queens, generally Hispanic men between 20 and 40 on their way home from work in the wee hours of the morning, police said.
Deputy Chief John Mastronardi at the department's Crimes against Persons Unit told WNBC that the mugger negotiates in both English and Spanish.
"He's got a strange M.O. – he likes to haggle with his victims, so we call him the ‘Haggler After Midnight,’" he said. "Oftentimes if a victim produces a property that they're going to give up, he says 'No, no, no, I don't want that, want that.' So he gets to choose."
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Police said the mugger appeared to be most interested in cash and electronics in each of the incidents, which began on Nov. 7. In each attack, he approached on a blue or dark-colored motorized scooter, generally threatened victims with a knife and relieved them of jewelry, phones and other valuables.
Occasionally, the mugger asked his victims questions to size them up, according to the NYPD. In one instance, he asked for directions; in another, he asked a victim whether he was a construction worker.
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His most recent attack on Dec. 10 was his boldest yet, Mastronardi said.
"In the last [incident], the male approached one of our victims and put a knife to his throat," the detective said.
Thus far, none of the suspect's victims have been injured.
Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for any information that leads to the man's capture.