Central Park: Man Robbed Of 3 Cell Phones While Playing Pokemon Go Live - Attack Caught Live Streaming

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

A 43-year-old man was robbed of three cell phones in Central Park early this morning while playing and streaming Pokemon Go live.

The incident occurred 12:30 am. about 100 yards inside the park near 59th Street and 6th Avenue.

The victim was walking alone inside the park when he was approached from behind and punched in the back of the head by an assailant.

The attacker forcably removed the cell phones after throwing the gamer on the ground. 

The victim told police he was playing “live” with an unknown number of players on the web and was going to go home and check on his home computer to see if anyone had been recording the action live.

The incident was captured on the victim's Twitch live stream which viewers watched in real time as it occured.   

The assault was posted on youtube hours after the robbery. 

"Look at me I'm just a lazy Pokemon player," the happy but distracted player wearing a bright yellow shirt says a moment before the attack. 

The video shows the attacker, wearing a black shirt approaching the player from the left side and quickly moving in, violently putting his arm around the victim's throat and tossing him to the ground. 

"Take it off, take it off let's go," the thief tells the victim.

"No, no, no, please, please, please,"  the victim pleads while on the ground.

A few seconds later the attacker, wearing red basketball shorts, is seen running away into the park and breathing heavily.    

About a minute later the thief is heard shutting down the devise. 

The victim told police he had purchased the three phones, a Samsung S-7, a Samsung S-7 Edge and a Nexus S-P, for the express purpose of playing the game.

"I got mugged playing Pokémon GO in Central Park. Still talking to police and will go to hospital soon, "  the victim tweeted out that at 2:04am using his screen name, "Rickeybot." 

A good Samaritan shouted and chased the assailant north into the park but lost him.

Minutes later the good Samaritan returned and helped the victim find his glasses.

Police have made no arrests.

The suspect is described as approximately 6 foot tall.  

“He literally just sucker punched me,” the victim said over the phone. 

“My right jaw is swollen. He clotheslined me with his fist. I hit the ground. I have a bump on my head and a scratch on my elbow.” 

Pokemon GO Robbery In Central Park

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

A tourist from New Hampshire was robbed in Central Park on Saturday night while playing Pokemon GO, NYC Park Advocates has learned.

The 21-year-old victim had been playing Pokemon GO  while siting on the Andrew Haswell Green bench near East 102nd St and East Drive when he got up and started walking southbound down a path.

He was approached by two men who pushed him down from behind as he held his i-phone in his hand.

One of the assailants said, “I have a gun” give me your stuff.” 

The thieves took his wallet and i-phone along with a backpack.  They tossed the victim’s backpack without taking any  addional property.

One of the perps said, “Don’t remember us," before fleeing with the phone and the wallet.

Police used the tracking device app in the phone and caught up with the suspects a half hour later in White Playground, on E. 106th Street, btw. Lexington & 3rd Avenue according to police.

The victim identified the two robbery suspects at the scene.

Bryan Matz, 37, of Queens, and Camacho Navla, 18,  a homeless male were arrested and charged with Robbery.   

The two were in possession of the stolen phone and wallet. 

No gun was found and the assailants never displayed a gun but made the threat of a gun.

The robbery was first reported - sans Pokemon Go details - on Monday morning.

Hordes of seemingly distracted cell phone users have descended on several park locations.  The Pokemon GO craze has people chasing and catching the virtual creatures from their mobile devises hidden throughout several city parks including Central and Union Square Park.

A YouTube video shot on Friday night  titled, “stampede” shows a large group of people rushing into Central Park at 11:oopm after the rare and illusive, “Vaporeon” had been allegedly found.

The video has attracted millions of viewers.  (Don’t miss the classic narration that accompanies the 41 second clip)

The New York Times produced in short video filmed in Central Park. 

There have been numerious reported crimes since the Pokemon Go craze was recently launched world-wide. 

In Missouri eleven teens were lured to secluded areas and robbed playing Pokemon GO. 

In a Illinois suberb a pair of teenage brothers were robbed at gunpoint.

A teen in a Chandler, AZ park had his phone taken and thrown into a pond after he falsy claimed as a prank he had found a rare Pokemon when he hadn't.

In Manchester, England three students were reportedly robbed in a park at knifepoint of their mobile phones while playing Pokemon Go.  

Numerous municipalities have issued warnings of the dangers of using the phone app. who point out the need to being aware in your surroundings while in public. 

Read More:

Man Robbed In Central Park On Park Bench - Suspects Apprehended

A Walk In The Park - July 18, 2016 - By Greoffrey Croft