Alleged Mugger’s Accomplice Still At Large

Brian Rodriguez, the man, was allegedly working with an accomplice who is still on the loose.

stepped up the number of police and auxiliary officers in the area last week after 11 muggings occurred in three separate but adjoining precincts. Seven of those muggings occurred in either Rego Park or Forest Hills.

Rodriguez was arrested and charged with two of the muggings. According to criminal complaints released by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Rodriguez was allegedly working with another man whom police have yet to identify or apprehend.

In the first incident with which Rodriguez is charged, the criminal complaint states that Rodriguez allegedly punched his victim while his accomplice snuck up behind her and grabbed her. The accomplice then threw her to the ground where Rodriguez allegedly stole her purse, two cell phones, $500 in cash and credit cards. The incident took place on Jan. 9 at 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of 64th Avenue and 102nd Street.

In the second incident, Rodriguez allegedly stayed behind the driver’s seat of a red SUV while his accomplice assaulted their victim, stole her purse and dragged her along the street with it. He then jumped into the passenger side of the SUV and fled the scene while Rodriguez drove. That incident allegedly took place on Jan. 13 at 10:25 p.m. at the corner of 62nd Drive and 98th Street.

Currently, information from the District Attorney says that Rodriguez was arrested at the 110th Precinct House in Flushing. There is no information available at this time as to whether Rodriguez was arrested while at his home in Nassau County or while in Queens. The District Attorney's Office could not say whether or not he was suspected in any of the other incidents in the area.

Rodriguez, whose next court date is on Feb. 4, has had four previous arrests in the last 16 years, all for robberies. He was arrested three times in 1995 and once in 2005, according to information from the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

Rodriguez’s bail was set at $100,000 at his arraignment on Jan. 22.