There have been a cluster of armed robberies on Skillman Avenue between 48th and 49th streets in the past year: December 2023 stealing ~$4k in cash, November 2023 stealing $10k in cash, and September 2023 stealing $60k in cash. Many people appear to carry unusual quantities of cash around near 48th Street and Skillman Ave.!

What hasn’t been reported: this location is the place of business for V & R PAYROLL FACTORS, INC., a state-licensed check cashing business that moved to Sunnyside in 2022. I originally took notice when its storefront was being built, because it has blacked out windows and no name — at the time, it seemed like it might be a graymarket weed business. But unlike the graymarket weed shop that is on that block, it’s been robbed three times, and now appears to have hired an armed NYPD police officer as part of its security.

Why does this business belong in the neighborhood? And why isn’t anyone reporting that the “random” high dollar amount robberies presumably all share a common cause: check cashing customers with large sums of cash to be deposited?