A “sophisticated criminal enterprise” made up of newly arrived migrants living in New York City’s shelter systems are terrorizing locals on mopeds, including a 62-year-old woman who was violently dragged across the pavement as thieves rode away with her belongings.
Cleyber Andrade, 19, and Juan Uzcatgui, 23, were arrested Friday in connection to the migrant gang that has been linked to at least 62 separate instances of grand larcenies throughout the Big Apple, reports the New York Post.
One of the most terrifying robberies allegedly committed by members of the group took place just three days after Christmas when a moped-riding criminal brutally dragged Irina Panteleeva down Sheepshead Bay Road in Brooklyn.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) released shocking video footage of the incident, showing the innocent woman flying into a metal bike rack.
NEW: @NYPDDaughtry releases video of woman being dragged by a "migrant moped gang" in NYC.@NYCMayor says it’s not about where you’re from it’s about breaking the law—“If they’re gonna use organized methods to commit crimes, it just can’t happen and it won’t happen, not in New… pic.twitter.com/pRpGAinLTr
— Ali Bradley (@AliBradleyTV) February 6, 2024
Panteleeva, whose bag, keys, phone, credit cards, and glasses were stolen in the attack, told the Post that she feels “bad” after undergoing that trauma.
Her building superintendent, Nesat Mamudoski, told the outlet that the bruised woman was so shaken that she requested a new lock for her apartment.
“She’s a nice lady, a good person,” Mamudoski said, calling Panteleeva’s attackers “scumbags.”
“I came here 44 years ago from Yugoslavia, and I had respect for the USA,” the 69-year-old immigrant said. “Not like these thieves.”
Though two alleged members of the criminal network have been caught, police are still searching for a recent Venezuelan migrant staying in the Bronx named Victor Parra for his role as the 14-member crew’s alleged ringleader.
Parra, 30, was freed from jail by a judge in December after getting picked up for grand larceny, sources told the Post.
NYPD Inspector Nicholas Fiore said Parra convinced others to “go do his dirty work to grab phones and stuff” during a Monday press conference.
“He’s the big target. He’s caused a lot of problems in New York City. And hopefully, we’ll grab him, we get some headway on this,” Fiore told reporters.
Sources also said Andrade and Uzcatgui have already given up their boss in statements to investigators, so the NYPD hopes to catch him and other members of his ring soon.
Other migrants police have connected to the group include Yan Jimenez, 25, of Manhattan; Anthony Ramos, 21, of Manhattan; Richard Saledo, 21, of the Bronx; Beike Jimenez, 21, of the Bronx; Maria Manaura, 32, of Manhattan; and Samuel Castro, 27, of Queens, according to the Post.
It is unclear if the migrants already in custody or known by police are the same ones suspected of assaulting Panteleeva.
All of them have previous grand larceny arrests for criminal activity, but all were free without bail before their court dates.
Sources have said they have been terrorizing the city since mid-November 2023.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said the suspects are part of a “sophisticated criminal enterprise” made up of new migrants at a separate Monday press conference.
“Parra will blast out a message via WhatsApp that he is looking for phones,” Kenny said. “And then the text will say, ‘I have money, I’m available, go get ’em.’”
Police said that the drivers of the mopeds could make $100 a day, while the accompanying phone snatchers could make $300-600 per stolen device.
According to Kenny, the phones are hacked to drain the victims’ financial assets and then sold to buyers all over the states and the world.
“This network of thieves predominantly live in the migrant shelter system,” Kenny said. “They use social media platforms to organize and coordinate this. This is how they operate.”
Investigators have linked the gang to 62 incidents across the city, but they could be involved in as many as 150, potentially racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars of stolen goods.
“We want to be extremely clear,” Mayor Eric Adams (D) told reporters. “It doesn’t matter if a person is a migrant, an asylum seeker, or the person is a long-term New Yorker — you break the law, you will be investigated, and it will be handled by our criminal justice system.
“You should not be allowed to walk the streets of the city of New York if you are committing any form of criminal behavior that’s impacting the quality of life of New Yorkers,” he continued. “These people do not have a license to steal in our city.”
RELATED — NYC Mayor Eric Adams: Migrant Crisis Will Destroy New York City
