Robbers with expensive taste targeting diners at fancy NYC restaurants, police say

NEW YORK - Police are search for several suspects they say are targeting diners at swanky New York City restaurants, robbing them of watches, jewelry and phones at gunpoint. 

They've struck at least six times since March, and tend to target men wearing expensive watches. So far they've stolen more than $300,000 worth of belongings. 

The first incident took place March 27 at around 7:30 p.m. near Charlie Bird restaurant in the Village. According to police, two suspects "on a two wheeled vehicle" approached the victim and brandished a silver gun. They stole the victim's watch, which was valued at $65,000, and took off on that two wheeled vehicle. 

They struck again inside the now-closed Dos Caminos on West Broadway and Houston Street on May 24 at 4:46 p.m. In that incident, three men were eating when two men approached them. One of the suspects put a victim in a chokehold, and the other suspect pulled out a silver gun. They stole the trio's watches, which were worth $40,000, $35,000 and $8,500 before taking off, again on a two wheeled vehicle. 

Additional incidents followed a similar pattern. At 6:50 p.m. on May 31, two people eating at Marlow & Sons in Brooklyn had their watches stolen at gunpoint. On June 18, at 8:46 p.m., a 39-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint of his $100,000 watch outside Carbone restaurant on Thompson Street. Just three days later, at Birds of a Feather on Grand Street in Brooklyn, two diners were robbed at gunpoint. 

The most recent incident happened on June 26 at 7:45 p.m. near Minetta Tavern. A 58-year-old was robbed at gunpoint of his watch, valued at $40,000, and a bracelet valued at $2,000. 

Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.