West Side Tire Slasher Caught & Released; Equinox Gym Robbery Gang on the Loose
Tire slasher caught in the act; gym robbers not caught yet.
| 23 Mar 2025 | 10:27
Equinox and Life Time gym robbery gang, January 2025. (
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The alleged West Side Tire Slasher—or at least one of them—has been arrested. His name is Jesus Navarro, 41, and his suspected crimes include some or all in a series of recent attacks on privately owned cars parked on the UWS.
In the minimalistic language of official NYPD reports: “Pursuant to an ongoing investigation, the following individual was arrested and charged on March 15, 2024, within the confines of the 24th Precinct: Jesus Navarro, 41-year-old male, Undomiciled.”
“Undomiciled” is an official police term for “homeless,” and a distinction from someone who is resident in an actual homeless shelter.
The charges against Navarro include five counts of Criminal Mischief 3rd Degree as well as Criminal Mischief 4th Degree.
The 3rd Degree Criminal Mischief charges are a Class E felony, while the 4th Degree charges are a Class A Misdemeanor. A subsequent court appearance added some details, dutifully shared by the West Side Rag.
Navarro was caught after a 24th Precinct patrol officer saw him approach a vehicle in front of 100 W. 87th St., near Columbus Avenue, shortly after midnight on March 15. The officer witnessed Navarro “bend down and make a hand movement toward the tire” and “then observed a hissing sound coming from said tire.”
Subsequent video review by a female detective linked Navarro to three prior tire-slashing attacks: March 5 on West 64th Street (20th Precinct); March 10 on West 89th Street, and March 12 on West 99th Street (both 24th Precinct).
I Love The Upper West Side, which reported the early March attacks on at least 10 West 68th Street cars, provided a further breakdown of events, noting that the 68th Street incidents were among Navarro’s felony changes.
Because his charges are not bail eligible, Navarro is back on the streets. His lawyer at arraignment was Ishan R. Banerhee of Legal Aid.
Robbery Gang Hits Equinox, Steals Phones & Cards
Two Manhattan locations of the Equinox gym—along with a Life Time gym in downtown Brooklyn—have been targeted by a pattern robbery gang. In aggregate, they appear to be four white men ranging in age from 20s to 60s.
The bandits’ m.o. is to gain entry to a locker room, steal phones and credit cards, and quickly make a high value ($26,000 to $30,000) purchase.
The two Equinox heists were at 315 Park Ave. South, on Jan. 3, and 160 Columbus Ave., between 67th and 68th streets, on Jan. 15 at around 11:55 a.m. In this last robbery, two suspects drove away in a white Mercedes-Benz sedan.
Anyone with relevant information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers site or by sending a direct message to @NYPDTips on X.