Police Investigating Manhattan Hypodermic Needle Mugging

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The man police said is behind a series of hypodermic needle muggings in the Bronx may have struck again, according to police.

Police said they are investing to determine if the suspect, Angel Anthony Cintron, used a needle to threaten a 13-year-old boy into giving up his cell phone.

The incident happened on an uptown 1 train, near the 86th Street station, police said.

Police said Cintron is armed with a hypodermic needle and threatens to stab his victims if they don't cough up whatever valuables they have.

This was the first time police said Cintron is believed to have held up a victim with a needle in Manhattan.

Investigators are looking at surveillance tape to see if the Friday morning Manhattan attack was carried out by Cintron.

Police describe the 39-year-old as 5'8", 145 lbs. with tattoos on both sides of his neck.

"It's just like insane. He actually thought of that and came up with the idea of actually stabbing people with a needle," said Stephen Spinelli of the Bronx.

"It's kind of sickening, really, because you threatening people with hypodermic needle, you scaring them. You don't know if you can get AIDS, hepatitis or something like that, so, it's a little messed up," Ron Jackson of the Bronx said.

The fear of the unknown has been effective for Cintron. Police said he's walked away with cell phones, iPads, iPods, money, wallets and credit cards.

Investigators said Cintron began the hypodermic hold-ups in mid-August and since then has struck nine times, mostly along East Tremont Avenue. His targets have been men, police said.

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