Rash of Thefts at 174-175 Streets Station on the Concourse Line

From DNAInfo.com:

A group of thieves is targeting straphangers in The Bronx’s 174th-175th Street D train Station, attacking victims in three separate incidents dating back to December, cops said.

The bandits — who travel in packs of as many as eight people — have carried out violent attacks, putting victims in choke holds and punching them before rifling through their pockets and stealing their wallets or their cellphones, according to the NYPD. (Emphasis mine.)

All three incidents took place in the evening hours and spanned a period lasting less than a month (December 26th to January 19th). The first two robberies involved three suspects, while the latest one involved seven; in that robbery, they assaulted a 23-year-old woman and shoved her down a flight of stairs after stealing her phone.

The thieves seem to have a common M.O. – travel in groups and assault unsuspecting pax (and use choke holds to subdue and mug them).

A Daily News article on the muggings describes the suspects as young Black and/or Hispanic men in their late teens and early 20s. As of this posting, all are still at large…

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© Nelson Beltran, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any part of this post without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. You may use excerpts and links, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nelson Beltran with proper and specific direction to the original content.

PHOTOS: A Closer Look – 174-175 Streets

[Before viewing this post, I highly recommend checking out my 174-175 Streets page - newly updated with fifteen photos!]

At first glance, the 174-175 Streets station on the Concourse Line looks like many other local stations; it has two side platforms, three tracks, and exits on either end. Take a closer look, however, and you’ll realize the station was once much larger.

Here are some appetizers:

This partially damaged name tablet is still legible…

…unlike its sister, thanks to this brutal patch-job. Is this 75th Street? Can I exit to 5th Street?

UPDATE: Staircase repairs at 182-183 Streets station

Here’s a brief update on the stair repairs at 182-183 Streets: it seems two of the three platform staircases closed for repairs have re-opened. Indeed, I noticed huge patches of new wall tile along the staircases in question; the stairs themselves definitely appear fixed. Pix to come as soon when I can squeeze in some free-time; this will be a VERY busy week for me. And I still gotta take pix of 170 and 155 Streets to see what’s up there!

[Previously: PHOTOS: Concourse Line Component Repairs at 182-183 Streets]

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© Nelson Beltran, 2012. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of any part of this post without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. You may use excerpts and links, provided that full and clear credit is given to Nelson Beltran with proper and specific direction to the original content.