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The suspects would ride up behind their victims -- mostly women walking alone on the sidewalk -- grab their phones or purses and make their getaway, according to police.

Detectives believe the suspects were snatching the phones to access the Apple Pay feature, and using credit cards linked to the phones to buy items in the U.S. or Central America.

The phones were then sent to Colombia, where they were wiped clean, according to police.

\"Most migrants come to NYC in search of a better life. Sadly, some come to commit crime,\" NYPD Assistant Commissioner Kaz Daughtry wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. \"Today we made tremendous progress in the largest robbery pattern plaguing our city. Our message is simple -- commit a crime in our city and we will find you and bring you to justice!\"

The arrests are the second prominent case involving migrants in the city in as many weeks. Last week, at least six asylum-seekers were arrested for assaulting police officers in Times Square in a case caught on video. More suspects involved in the attack are still being sought, officials said.

Police and prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office are also investigating whether the first four defendants, who were released without bail, subsequently boarded a bus to California using fake names.

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