Gunman steals $20,000 from 99-year-old Manhattan landlord in broad-daylight heist

A 99-year-old Manhattan landlord was robbed of at least $20,000 in a broad-daylight heist Monday morning, police said. The suspect, wearing a black ski mask and gloves, called the senior and asked him to meet at the side entrance of his West 187th Street building near Audubon Avenue in Washington Heights to deliver a package. When the victim opened the gate, the intruder forced his way inside and pressed a gun into the victim’s back, demanding access to the basement office. The man fought back, injuring his hand as the door frame pressed into his fingers, and required stitches. By the time officers arrived, the suspect had fled with cash from a cabinet in the basement, including rent payments from two buildings across the street that the elder owned. The 99-year-old was hospitalized with two broken fingers and a cut hand.

Police described the building as a five-story, 30-unit residence. Investigators said the suspect appeared to know the victim’s routine and the building’s layout. The robber spoke only Spanish. Authorities said the attacker wore a black ski mask, gloves, a gray sweatshirt, black sweatpants and white sneakers, and was last seen walking away on the sidewalk. The money taken included payments from tenants of two buildings across the street. The case remains under active investigation, and no arrest had been made as of Thursday.

The sequence of events began when the caller phoned the landlord around 10 a.m. and claimed he had a package that needed to be delivered to an apartment within the residence. The plan relied on access to the building’s side entrance, a detail the police said indicated the suspect knew the layout well. The victim opened the gate for the caller and was then forced to retreat from the lobby toward the basement, where the office was located, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. The landlord used to collect rent for that building and two others, and the thief appeared to target the exact cabinet where those payments were stored, Kenny said. The victim remained conscious but was seriously injured in the struggle and later hospitalized.

The investigation is ongoing. Detectives released surveillance video showing the suspect walking on a sidewalk in the area, and authorities asked anyone with information to contact the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish speakers. Tips can also be submitted online or via the NYPD Tips app. The public can remain anonymous.

The victim, who has not been identified publicly, was taken to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center with a pair of broken fingers and a hand laceration. Police said the victim is the primary rent collector for the building in question and for two nearby properties, underscoring how a single cash box can carry the day-to-day finances of multiple properties.

This incident highlights concerns about safety and crime in northern Manhattan, where residents and property owners have called for increased patrols and better access controls in multifamily buildings. Police emphasized that they are reviewing building security measures and looking for patterns in thefts that involve targeted access to restricted areas such as basements and management offices.

The NYPD continues to urge residents to report suspicious activity, especially individuals who seem to be surveilling a building’s entry points, routines, and cash-handling practices. Investigators stressed the importance of keeping sensitive financial cash on hand in secure, access-controlled locations and of reporting any attempts to gain access under false pretenses.

Authorities say the suspect spoke only Spanish and fled the scene after the heist without being captured. The suspect’s clothing and the precise method of entry into the basement suggest premeditation and familiarity with the building, according to Kenny. Investigators are reviewing additional surveillance footage and interviewing building staff and residents.

The public is reminded that tips can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers via the numbers above, or online. The NYPD’s continued outreach in communities like Washington Heights aims to deter future incidents and encourage quick reporting of suspicious activity that could prevent similar crimes from occurring.

The investigation remains open as detectives work to identify the suspect, locate the missing funds, and determine whether there are additional victims connected to the same operation. Police officials said they would provide updates as new information becomes available.