In this April 16, 2019 image made from surveillance video, a man police identified as 41-year-old Juan Rodriguez prepares to throw a brick at a LinkNYC Wifi kiosk near Times Square in New York. Rodriguez was arrested on criminal mischief charges after surveillance video caught him hurling bricks or other objects at 42 LinkNYC kiosks in New York City between April 16 and April 23, 2019. (New York City Police Department via AP)
Republished April 24, 2019 - 5:58 PM
Original Publication Date April 24, 2019 - 3:01 PM
NEW YORK - Police have arrested a man on criminal mischief charges for smashing up New York City's flashy sidewalk Wi-Fi kiosks.
New York City police on Wednesday said the suspect, identified as 41-year-old Juan Rodriguez, was seen on surveillance video hurling bricks or other objects at 42 LinkNYC kiosks in Manhattan over the last week.
Information on his lawyer wasn't immediately available.
One of the videos, recorded April 16 by a camera on a kiosk near Times Square, shows a bearded man in a blue, long-sleeve T-shirt walking up and tossing a brick at the camera.
New York City has more than 1,800 of the 9-foot (3-meter) tall, narrow kiosks. That includes about 1,100 in Manhattan.
The kiosks feature large video boards and provide free Wi-Fi service and ports to charge phones.
News from © The Associated Press, 2019