Police
are
stepping
up
patrols
in
Central
Park
after
a
number
of
recent
robberies
and
attacks
have
residents
on
alert.
On
April
25,
a
woman
was
punched
in
the
face
while
on
a
walk
near
West
97th
Street
and
West
Drive,
police
said.
According
to
the
NYPD,
the
attacker
demanded
her
wallet
and
cell
phone
before
sexually
assaulting
her.
Two
more
robberies
happened
on
April
26
—
one
near
59th
Street
and
5th
Avenue,
and
one
near
109th
Street
on
the
east
side
of
the
park,
police
said.
A
fourth
robbery
took
place
the
next
dat
near
74th
Street
and
5th
Avenue
where
a
man’s
camera
equipment
was
stolen.
Police
confirmed
a
fifth
robbery
to
NBC
New
York
occurred
Monday
morning,
where
a
man
took
the
cell
phone
of
a
35-year-old
woman
while
she
was
walking
near
The
Pond,
police
said.
Police
were
able
to
take
a
person
of
interest
into
custody
and
get
the
woman
her
phone
back,
the
NYPD
said.
“There
are
additional
patrols
being
conducted
in
the
park
following
the
incidents,”
an
NYPD
spokesperson
told
NBC
New
York,
but
did
not
elaborate
on
the
specifics.
Police
have
not
said
where
they’ll
be
in
the
park,
to
what
extent,
and
how
long
the
additional
patrols
will
continue.
An
NBC
New
York
crew
saw
an
NYPD
cruiser
in
the
park
on
Monday
morning.
“I
think
it’s
disgusting
what’s
going
on
in
the
park
these
days,”
said
John
O’Keefe,
who
was
in
the
park
on
Monday.
“You
can’t
go
out.
Can’t
be
safe.
I’m
looking
over
shoulder.
Lots
of
problems
in
the
city.
Its
getting
worse,
drastically
worse.
At
this
point
last
year,
there
were
three
robberies
in
the
park.
This
year,
so
far,
there
are
at
least
15
robberies.
“Should
be
more
security,
more
guards
outside,”
said
parkgoer
Leanna
Baines.