Duo sought for snatching elderly man’s jewelry worth more than 40K before running over his hand in Elmhurst: NYPD

Police say the 84-year-old senior was walking on Ireland Street at noon on Sunday, Aug. 23, when a blue SUV pulled up alongside him. The duo engaged the gentleman in some small talk to lure him closer to the car and as he came closer, one of the perpetrators forcibly snatched multiple chains from his neck, police said.

As the octogenarian attempted to retrieve his stolen jewelry, he was unsuccessful and fell hard to the ground. As the suspects began to drive away, the vehicle ran over the elderly man’s hand, causing immediate pain and swelling. The SUV sped away from the crime scene on Queens Boulevard toward the Long Island Expressway.

EMS responded to the scene and transported the injured senior to Elmhurst Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

The victim’s stolen jewelry is valued at approximately $41,000, police said.

The NYPD released surveillance images of the suspects and described them as having light complexions. The man has black hair and a beard and mustache and he wore a black T-shirt, blue jeans and white sneakers. The woman also has black hair and wore a light-colored top and a blue and white ankle-length skirt.

A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for information that leads to their arrest and indictment.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are strictly confidential.

Through Sept. 6, the 110th Precinct has reported 299 robberies so far in 2026, 25 more than the 274 reported at the same point last year, an increase of 9.1%, according to the most recent CompStat report. Felony assaults are also on the rise in the precinct with 465 reported so far this year, 67 more than the 398 reported at the same point in 2025, an increase of 16.8%, according to CompStat.