By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-10 01:24:35 | Updated at 2026-06-10 18:00:05
16 hours ago
He made quite a splash.
An alleged thief on the run from police in Manhattan dove into a Central Park lake in a wet and wild failed escape attempt on Monday, cops said.
Jason Taylor’s eventual day began when he walked into a Lenox Avenue dry cleaner around 3:35 p.m. and reportedly asked to use the restroom.
When staff refused him access, the 23-year-old allegedly snatched the shop’s tap payment machine and fled, police said.
Jayson Taylor, 23, tussled with cops after he jumped into the Harlem Meer. NY_Scoop/XPolice chased Taylor south toward West 110th Street and Fifth Avenue, where he jumped into the Harlem Meer.
Medics pulled him from the water 20 minutes later, according to NYPD.
The incident began after the suspect allegedly stole a tap-payment machine from a Dry Cleaners on Lenox Avenue after they denied him from using the restroom. Officers from the @NYPD28Pct responded and attempted to apprehend him, but he fled on foot toward @CentralParkNYC and…
— NYC Scoop (@NY_Scoop) June 9, 2026
Jason Taylor fights a cop in the lake. NY_Scoop/XA video posted to X shows Taylor struggling with multiple officers before he was fully restrained and removed from the lake.
He is charged with petit larceny, and his arraignment is pending as of Tuesday.
The NYPD did not respond to the Post’s request for further information.
