Man Robbed Of Nearly $200,000 In The Bronx Says Money Was For Restaurant He's Opening In Manhattan
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police say surveillance video shows two suspects wanted in a violent robbery inside a Bronx building last week that netted the duo nearly $200,000 in cash.
It happened last Tuesday morning inside a building near East 169th Street and Prospect Avenue as the victim was leaving his nephew's apartment with a bag of laundry in one hand and a bag filled with $190,400 in cash in the other.
Abdoul Bah said the money was going to be used for rent and renovations for a restaurant he's opening with his uncle in downtown Manhattan. He earned it selling his valuables and all of his property in his home country, the African nation of Guinea.
When asked why he was walking around with so much cash, Bah told CBS2's Janelle Burrell "because I have to fix the restaurant, you know, you have to pay the people."
Bah was heading to the restaurant when he was attacked. He said one of the suspects was armed.
"He said, 'Where's the money?' I said, 'What kind of money?'" he told 1010 WINS' Sonia Rincon.
Video shows one suspect in a black Adidas jacket approach the 45-year-old victim as he walks down the building stairs. As the suspect turns and grabs Bah's bag, his accomplice joins in and together they struggled with the victim, pushing and tugging him until they're able to pull his bag out of his arms and take off.
"He come and he take my leg, and then the other guy hold me here," he said.
Bah said one of them put him in a headlock and squeezed. He could hardly breathe or see and was convinced he wouldn't survive the attack.
"He want to kill me," he said.
The struggle ended with the men getting away with the bag and dashing into a getaway SUV that was waiting with a driver outside, Burrell reported.
Bah said he tried to stop them, even clinging to the door, but they sped off.
He was treated at a hospital for bumps and bruises.
Police said he did not know his attackers.
Bah said he's not sure how the men knew to attack him. He said they got away in a dark gray BMW SUV and one of the suspects left behind his hat as well as his cell phone, clues which Bah hopes leads police to his attackers.
"I want police to catch them," Bah said.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
