Gun-Toting Thief in ‘R.I.P. Youth’ Shirt Chokes Man Unconscious, Flees With $1K in Cash: NYPD

What to Know

A thief choked a man unconscious and fled with his belongings and $1,000 in cash after the man tried to keep the thief from robbing him
The man was inside a building in Hamilton Heights on Friday when the thief approached him from behind
When the man resisted the thief, the thief put him in a chokehold until he passed out

A thief choked a man unconscious and fled with his belongings and $1,000 in cash after the man tried to keep the thief from robbing him, police said.

The 23-year-old man was inside an apartment building near West 147th Street and Amsterdam Avenue in Hamilton Heights around 9:50 p.m. on Friday when the thief approached him from behind and tried to steal his belongings, the NYPD said.

When the man resisted, the thief put him in a choke hold until he passed out, police said.

The thief then fled with the man’s cell phone, wallet, backpack and $1,000 in cash, the NYPD said.

The victim was treated at the scene for bruising to his neck, police said.

Police are now searching for the thief, who was last seen wearing sunglasses, a t-shirt emblazoned with “R.I.P. Youth" and a tombstone graphic, gray sweatpants and black sneakers.

The entire attack was caught on surveillance video (above).