Two individuals impersonating police officers robbed a hot dog vendor in Times Square, wielding a knife and stealing two hot dogs. One suspect was apprehended, while the other remains at large.
This incident is part of a recent spate of attacks on street vendors in the area. A previous incident involved a shooting, resulting in the arrest of Emanuel Charles, who allegedly shot a vendor during an altercation.
Authorities are actively pursuing the second suspect involved in the hot dog heist, described as wearing a red hoodie, black pants, and black and white sneakers. The investigation into these recent attacks on vendors continues.
A pair of phony cops pulled off a hot dog heist from a Times Square food vendor while wielding a knife early Wednesday — the latest in a string of attacks on vendors, authorities said.
The 38-year-old food vendor was working at his cart around 1:07 a.m. near W. 43rd St. and Seventh Ave. when two men approached him and flashed a badge, police sources said.
“We are police officers,” one of the men told the vendor, the sources said, adding, “We don’t want to hurt or arrest you.”
The impostors then stole two hot dogs and menaced the vendor with a knife before taking off on Seventh Ave., heading toward 44th St.
Cops took one man into custody following the heist, and are looking for a second person dressed in a red hoodie, black pants and black and white sneakers.
The incident comes in the wake of other attacks on vendors — including the shooting of a vendor April 30. Emanuel Charles, 21, was arrested following a brawl involving several vendors at Seventh Ave. and W. 47th St. He was accused of opening fire, hitting Ayaman Gzale, an Egyptian immigrant who had rushed to the scene to help a friend and fellow merchant, prosecutors said. Gzale was shot in the left wrist, and was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
On March 16, a man set a party promoter on fire, critically injuring him. Mark Whyte, 45 was doused with gasoline and lit on fire after a argument with the man outside the Nebula nightclub on W. 41st St. near Broadway. Whyte’s attacker grabbed a gasoline canister from a nearby food cart and emptied it on the victim before starting the blaze, cops said. Whyte was rushed to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell for treatment.
According to cops, the man wanted in the case was believed to have fled to Egypt — and is the nephew of the cart owner, police sources said. He remains on the loose.
Originally Published: May 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM EDT
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