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A Serial Burglar Is Pretending to Be a Guest and Robbing Hotels in New York City
Samantha Rosen
Contributor
Samantha was one of the first 20 employees at TPG. She started as the site's first full-time social media editor and also served as its lifestyle editor.
Aug. 10, 2019
•
2 min read
A Serial Burglar Is Pretending to Be a Guest and Robbing Hotels in New York City
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Police are on the hunt for a man who has been robbing hotels across Manhattan.
According to the New York Post, he's been tricking housekeepers into thinking he's a guest so they let him into rooms as they are cleaning up.
The first burglary was on July 23 at the Club Quarters Hotel in the Financial District. Police claim he stole a $1,300 MacBook Pro, a $220 backpack, a wallet valued at $74, a MacBook case and Apple headphones. We reached out to the hotel for a statement, but they did not get back to us in time for publication.
Just a few days later, on July 27, he robbed both the Hilton Garden Inn on Water Street (also in the Financial District) before moving uptown to the Courtyard Marriott on West 40th Street, near Bryant Park. At the Hilton, he stole a a $2,000 laptop, $1,100 in cash and a $500 watch, among other miscellaneous items, according to police. He also stole two laptops, a tablet, a cell phone, earbuds, a passport, a checkbook and a credit card from the Marriott.
On July 30, the suspect stole another $2,000 worth of belongings from the DoubleTree Hotel downtown, and then later went uptown to the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. A spokesperson for the Marriott Marquis said, "We are aware of this report . . . and are providing appropriate assistance as needed. Because it is a matter under police investigation, we [won't] comment further."
Yet the serial burglaries have continued, and on Aug. 8, he stole a $2,200 MacBook Pro and $400 Bose headphones from the Grand Hyatt near Grand Central Station.
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Police said all of the victims were not from the area, and if you have any information, call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
In the meantime, travelers planning trips to New York City may want to take extra precautions to secure valuables. Be sure to use the hotel safe if one is available, and consider bringing a cable lock for your laptop — especially keeping in mind the thief's modus operandi. Guests may even want to carry certain valuables with them when they leave the hotel (namely wallets and headphones) or leave the "Do Not Disturb" sign up to prevent housekeeping — or serial burglars — from entering the room in the first place.
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Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants
TPG Editor‘s Rating
Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.