Advertisement
A mob of over a dozen migrants stormed Bloomingdale’s over the weekend and tried to steal around $5,000 worth of designer sunglasses – before all but one escaped. The shoplifters swarmed the flagship store at 1000 Third Avenue in Manhattan Saturday evening, a New York Police Department spokesperson told Dailymail.com.
The robbers were attempting to conceal the items by hiding them on their person as they tried to leave, the spokesman added. Security attempted to stop the culprits to recover the items and a scuffle broke out. One of the suspects allegedly shoved a security guard and someone was struck in the head with a closed fist.
Police arrested 22-year-old Stiven Matos at the scene following a struggle. At least 14 other people remain at large. Matos was charged with robbery, criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools, resisting arrest, and obstructing governmental administration. A 27-year-old male was also involved in the brawl, but it is unclear from the report if he was one of the suspects or an employee, the spokesman said.
The New York Post characterized the shoplifters as ‘migrants,’ but NYPD declined to comment on their immigration status. The spokesman shared that Matos did not provide an address at the time of his arrest. The amount of merchandise stolen amounted to around $5,000, police say. Authorities recovered 10 pairs of Versace sunglasses, two pairs of Prada glasses, and one pair of Christian Dior specs, the New York Post reported.
A spokesperson for Bloomingdale’s said the store is unable to comment on ongoing investigations and crime scenes. Grand larceny reports in Manhattan’s 19th precinct, where the store is located, fell 0.6 percent in 2023, according to the NYP. The department received 1,727 complaints over the past year, compared to 1,737 reports in 2022. As of December 2023, more than 140,000 migrants had flooded into New York City over an 18-month period.
Also on Saturday, a fight broke out among a crowd of 300 undocumented people who were waiting outside a re-intake shelter in the East Village. A man tried to cut in front of the line and spilled coffee on others before he was confronted by another man and an argument turned physical. Two police officers were injured amid the scuffle and two men were arrested.
Mayor Eric Adams has called on the White House to deliver federal support to manage the national asylum seeker crisis. Last month, Adams issued Executive Order 538, requiring improved coordination from charter bus companies transporting migrant arrivals into the city. The measure was designed to ensure ‘the safety and well-being of both migrants and city staff receiving them,’ according to a press release.
Want more stories like this from the Daily Mail? Visit our profile page here and hit the follow button above for more of the news you need.
