'Ghost criminals': NYC migrant allegedly ran sophisticated robbery crew

NEW YORK (PIX11) --- Police are hunting for the leader of a group of migrant "ghost criminals" who have allegedly robbed more than 60 people in New York City over the past few months, authorities said.

Victor Parra, 30, who came to New York from Venezuela last year, is the alleged leader of the robbery crew that used mopeds to snatch phones and wallets from over 60 victims citywide, police said.

Yarra recruited his accomplices by allegedly blasting WhatsApp messages looking for volunteers, officials said. The texts would specify the phone models he was looking for.

"I have money. I'm available. Go get them," Yarra allegedly says in the WhatsApp messages, police said.

The phones would then be sent to Parra, where he paid a tech guy to hack the phones clear out the victims' bank accounts, and make fraudulent purchases, police said. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been stolen from the victims. The phones would then be sent to Columbia, police said.

The scooter operators made $100 a day and the phone snatchers were paid between $300-$600 per phone, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.

"These perpetrators are part of a sophisticated criminal enterprise made up of immigrants who have recently arrived in the United States," Kenny said at a press briefing Monday. "This network of thieves predominantly lives in the migrant shelter system."

Police have identified 14 members of the crew. Seven were arrested and three others are being investigated. Their alleged leader, Parra, remained at large after authorities executed a search warrant at his Bronx home early Monday morning, police said.

Investigators have had difficulty tracking some of the suspects because there are no photos, social media presence, or even names, in some cases, according to NYPD Commissioner Eddie Caban. Most of the suspects don't know each other.

"They're essentially ghost criminals," Caban said.

There were no major injuries in the incidents.