Migrant accused of running cellphone robbery crew in NYC
MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- A Venezuelan migrant is accused of running a sophisticated cellphone-snatching ring that has robbed dozens of people in New York City, authorities said.
Victor Parra, 30, was indicted Tuesday on grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and criminal possession of stolen property charges, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
Parra is the alleged leader of the robbery crew that used mopeds to snatch phones and wallets. Parra allegedly recruited his accomplices by blasting WhatsApp messages looking for volunteers, officials said. The texts would specify the phone models he was looking for.
“I have money. I’m available. Go get them,” Parra allegedly says in the WhatsApp messages, police previously said.
He would then allegedly pay someone to hack the phones to steal money from the victims' accounts, prosecutors said. There have been at least 25 victims.
"This alleged scheme preyed on unsuspecting New Yorkers who were just walking outside going about their daily lives. We are continuing to investigate the full extent and scope of this ring in coordination with our law enforcement partners," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.
In the indictment, Parra is accused of orchestrating two incidents in December 2023 and January 2024. In the first incident, Juan Uzcatgui, was riding on the back of a moped and snatched a cellphone near West 24th Street and Sixth Avenue before meeting up with Parra in the Bronx, according to court records. The defendants then allegedly used the victim's Apple card to make a $1,742 transaction and another for $1,630. A third $1,000 Zelle transaction was declined.
Parra allegedly ordered Cleyeber Andrade and another person to steal a cellphone on Third Avenue on Jan. 5, prosecutors said. The suspects then met with Parra in the Bronx, where two Zelle transactions for $1,300 and then $200 were made on the victim’s Zelle account, according to court records.
Uzcatgui was indicted for grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Andrade was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property in a separate criminal complaint, authorities said.
The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Manhattan District Attorney's Office at 212-335-9040.
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.