Metro Motel, at 7300 Queens Boulevard, where the duo was arrested (Google Maps) (Crimestoppers)
April 26, 2019 By Meghan Sackman
Police arrested two men at a Woodside motel Thursday wanted in connection with a string of armed robberies that took place in Astoria and Woodside over the past two months.
Police arrested Khyrel Ware, 21, of Long Island City, and Luis Martinez, 19, of Astoria, and charged them both with multiple counts of robbery.
The pair were found by chance at the Metro Motel, located at 73-00 Queens Blvd. The police were searching for a man with an outstanding warrant when they came across the men and nabbed them.
The duo had allegedly robbed seven residents within the confines of Astoria and Woodside between February and April, police said. The men were armed with either a knife or gun and took cellphones, cash, jewelry, wallets and clothing from their victims.
Police say the duo are responsible for the following robberies:
— On Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 1:15 a.m. in the vicinity of 41st Street and 34th Avenue, the pair approached a 38-year-old man, one of them displayed a knife, and demanded that he withdraw money from a nearby ATM. They took $100 from the victim and fled.
— On Sunday, Feb. 17 at around 4 p.m., in front of 38-16 31st St., the robbers threatened a 16-year-old boy with a knife and demanded his property. They stole his jewelry and cash before fleeing.
— On Monday, March 18 at around 5 p.m., inside a building in the vicinity of 31st Street and 38th Avenue, the pair approached two men, an 18-year-old and a 24-year old, took their cell phones and cash at knifepoint and fled in an unknown direction.
— On Thursday, April 11, around 12:40 a.m., the two men demanded the property of a 25-year-old man at gunpoint in front of 47-05 Newton Rd. They took the victim’s cell phone, jewelry and wallet before fleeing.
— On Thursday, April 11, at around 7 p.m., the two approached a 21-year-old man in the vicinity of Skillman Avenue and 54th Street, with one of the suspects displaying a firearm and demanding the victim’s property. They stole the victim’s cell phone and cash before fleeing the location.
— On Sunday, April 14, at around 10 p.m., it was reported to police that the two robbers approached three victims — a 20-year-old male, a 19-year-old female, and a 18-year-old male — inside 35-3 38th Street. One of the men displayed a gun and demanded their property. They took some of the victims’ clothing and fled.
— On Friday, April 19, around 1:30 a.m., one of the men– riding an E-Bike–approached a 25-year-old man who was walking in the vicinity of Newtown Road and 44th Street. The thief displayed a firearm before removing the victim’s wallet.
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34 Comments
They are the reason condoms were invented.
Some people really think they’re funny by making this a political issue. Newsflash: You’re not funny. Crime is a real issue and I’m sure none of the victims of these crimes are laughing along with you when you make a gay joke, make a snide comment about elected officials, or “own the libs” with your political nonsense. Crime is down in virtually all categories across the city. Homeless shelters, an unfortunate necessity in a city with skyrocketing rent costs and a lack of well-paying jobs for unskilled laborers (i.e., union manufacturing jobs). The vast majority — and I do mean VAST majority — of shelter residents are law abiding families and singles who need a hand and will keep their time in the shelter to a minimum — they don’t want to be there either. The minority are criminals like these guys. Good that NYPD got them off the streets and prevented them from going after another target. But your asinine comments add nothing to the discussion.
I actually work with the shelters and your down-on-their-luck harping is factually incorrect. Around 1 in 3 people in the system are your hard working types with a job who need a lift for a short time – they quickly cycle out of the shelters because they want to get out of there as quickly as possible. The next group are lazy people who are mooching. They’re relatively normal round the hood people who just want to hang out and not work, which is why they end up in this situation. The last third are absolutely petty criminals with the occasional acting-tough acts like these two jokes. More generally they’re selling/using/pimping and whoring.
“Transitional housing” is not a terrible idea and we can afford it, but it has to be TRANSITIONAL. Meaning they have to leave, quickly. You can bitch and moan about rents too high all you want but even one person working a regular 40 hour week on $15 hour can pay to live in this city. Two of them together can afford $1400/month, which is more than adequate for an apartment in a lot of the city. If they can’t even swing that, maybe they need to move somewhere less in demand so they can get a leg up? Many people do that and I don’t see why it has to be any different in New York. GO make yourself stable and make some money and then come back if you miss your friends and family. It’s not our job to carry you the entire way.
Real life- Very well said.
Um yeah. Not 2 out of 3. 1. That’s not a confident number by any means.
If you can’t afford to live here then you need to move to a place you can afford. That’s exactly what countless friends and relatives of mine had to do and believe it or not it wasn’t the end of the world. They didn’t demand gov’t subsidize their living accommodations, just not an “entitlement” minded group. The homeless issue is the result of a lawsuit from the late 70’s that must challenged to put this issue to rest.
Astoria local- Homeless shelters are not the result of “skyrocketing rent costs and a lack of well-paying jobs for unskilled laborers.” They’re the result of Callahan Vs. Carey lawsuit. Bad law. Unsustainable!!
@Astoria local…VAST majority? Keep their time in a shelter to a minimum?..You are totally clueless or living in a dream world!
Unfortunately crime is up in Queens North
https://compstat.nypdonline.org/2e5c3f4b-85c1-4635-83c6-22b27fe7c75c/view/89
What’s all the fuss. Two lads trying to survive. This is just the redistribution of wealth that Deblasio and AOC have been supporting. Take from those who have and keep for yourself. Hopefully in the next election more socialists will be elected so felonies can be downgraded to non crimes like most misdemeanors and violations are now.
Did the article mention AOC? Or just another obsessed Trump Lover?
Peter- We can lobby to change laws to make the transfer of wealth nice and legal, like union busting right to work laws, usury laws, block living wage laws from being passed etc.
I was born & grew up in that neighborhood even lived just up the block from there but its always been a sleazy hotel & making it a shelter only made it that much worse but funny thing is if it’s a shelter & they had other known addresses who were they there with? There parents? Or were they not only robbing people but were they robbing the system too? Someone had to be paying there rent there.. love to see there parents
Great Queens education you received.
THEIR parents.
THEIR rent (you think this ghetto trash pays a red cent in rent).
Great news and great work, NYPD! That’s what I’d call a “happy accident.”
Great Job on Catching these crooks and putting ‘em where they belong. Next Target, JVB! Get that man out of office by voting against him in 2020 or 2021.
Good work NYPD!!
Believe it or not, they were actually dating. Hence, why they were found together in a Motel.
Yes I knew it! One of them hangs out trolling men at lirr woodside
Blanche -. Is the LIRR station a hot cruising spot?
😛
this is a homeless shelter –
They need to close that place
Yeah there should be somewhere the homeless can go instead, like a homeless shelter
Many would rather not go to a homeless shelter. Fear if being robbed, psychos already there…
Downvote all you want but it really is the truth. A 30 year old truth.
They could go to their house. They didn’t get homeless by magic and you and I aren’t NOT homeless by magic either. Coddling people doesn’t help, as our endless parade of “homeless” people demonstrates. There are jobs and opportunities and apartments all over the place in the city and outside of it, too. If you’re struggling so hard you need to live off city taxes in a hotel room maybe you need to change up your approach? 9 million of us make it work everyday.
Isn’t this another homeless shelter?..Police were looking to execute a warrant and stumbled upon these 2..The progressives will argue that the shelters don’t bring crime to the neighborhood!!!..Anazing!!!
Keep them in jail do they don’t repeat while awaiting trial. They will be up to no good
Yeah but turn off their heat and AC. Give them meager slop for meals.
Good, now hopefully the Kennedy Foundation will bail them out, and an understanding judge will let them off with nothing more than perhaps a stern lecture. Maybe even an essay writing assignment.
Hahaha 2 more votes for Bernie Sanders!!!!
No. They’ll go to jail for 10 years or so. They will have a choice of redemption or continue their descent into being miserable humans.
wow, tough crowd. great satire, which many don’t seem to understand.