Victims punched, slashed in face in back-to-back Bronx robberies

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — The NYPD on Wednesday released surveillance footage of a man wanted for punching and slashing two men in back-to-back Bronx robberies over the weekend.

Just after 8 a.m. on Sunday, April 28, a 41-year-old man was walking up the staircase to the 183rd Street train subway station in University Heights when the suspect approached him from behind.

The suspect then attempted to forcibly steal the victim's backpack before punching the victim in the face and fleeing on foot southbound on Jerome Avenue.

The victim sustained pain and bruising to the face as a result of this incident.

The second incident happened less than two hours later at approximately 10 a.m., officials said.

According to police, a 22-year-old man was walking in the vicinity of Grand Avenue and West 183rd Street when the suspect approached him from behind.

The suspect displayed a knife, slashed the victim in the face then stole cash and a debit card from him before he fled on foot westbound on 183rd Street.

The victim sustained cuts to his face as a result of the incident.

Anyone with information in regard to these incidents is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).