Teen accused of stealing gaming consoles in midday home invasion in Queens

OAKLAND GARDENS, Queens (PIX11) --- A teenager is accused of stealing gaming consoles and sneakers during a brazen midday home invasion in Queens on Tuesday, authorities said.

The 14-year-old boy allegedly stole a PlayStation 5, Xbox, sneakers, and jewelry from the occupied home near 230th Street and 64th Avenue in Oakland Gardens around 1 p.m., according to the NYPD.

The teen was arrested shortly after he and five accomplices allegedly broke into the home and threatened the residents with a knife, police said. None of the residents were injured.

The boy was charged with robbery, burglary, grand larceny, menacing, criminal trespassing, and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. There have been no other arrests.

There has been a decrease in burglaries and grand larcenies in the neighborhood this year compared to 2023, according to NYPD data. Burglaries are down 20% and grand larcenies saw a nearly 30% decline, the data shows.

Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).