Cold-Hearted Teens Steal 8YO NYC Boy’s Lemonade Stand Earnings

[Sugar Cookie]

A pair of “thug” teenagers sank to a new low when they looted an 8-year-old Upper West Side boy’s sidewalk lemonade stand, police said.

The cowardly crooks waited until little Julian Lin had his back turned on Sunday to snatch his money jar — containing as much as $150, his mom said — and made off on two scooters, according to police and a local report.

“I feel disappointed in humanity,” the young entrepreneur told the ilovetheupperwestside.com blog. “I didn’t realize that someone would want to rob an 8-year-old.”

Police said the heartless theft took place around 3:20 p.m. on Columbus Avenue near West 70th Street when the two teens pulled up and asked for some lemonade.

When Julian turned his back they snatched the jar and sped off — leaving the boy empty-handed. The teens are still on the loose, cops said.

Some of his customers had paid him using Venmo, so it wasn’t a total loss — and Julian’s neighbors also stepped up to try to make up for the stolen earnings.

“When I lost all that cash a lot of people wanted to help me recover, so they gave me extra big tips,” he told the blog in an article published Wednesday.

“It made me feel good that so many people wanted to help me recover from this attack,” the boy added.”It made me feel happy, joyful, grateful.”

The youngster, who goes by the “professional” name “Julian Business Man” and favors bowties and neckties when on the job, has been bootstrapping since he was 4 — from folding boxes at a local bakery to mopping classroom floors to helping out at a neighborhood fruit stand.

“I will not have my money out there for anyone to grab. I will be more alert. I will trust my instincts because I could tell that those guys were shady since one of them was wearing a ski mask,” he said.

“But I will keep doing what I’m doing because I love being a businessman and I love dogs,” he added. “And 30% of my profits go to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.”

His parents agreed the “unpleasant experience” was a teaching moment.

“It is an important lesson for any businessman, and we are just grateful that so many people have come out to support Julian in the aftermath,” they told The Post in a statement Thursday.

Cold-hearted teens steal 8-year-old NYC boy’s lemonade stand earnings

Upper West Side youngster Julian Lin, 8, had made as much as $150 at his lemonade stand on Sunday when two teenagers showed up and stole his earnings — and remain on the loose, cops said.

nypost.com

 

[Sejanus]

Julian Business Man will achieve much.
Thug in ski mask, will likely never amount to jack squat.

I want to track down this dapper little entrepreneur and send him a few bucks.

 

[cubby]

How refreshing his parents are making this horrible experience a "teaching moment" instead of turning their son into a victim. He has learned and will do better next time, he doesn't have time to grovel and whine, he's got stuff to do and a world to change, wishing him all the luck in the world, but I think he's got this licked already.

 

[BuffettGirl]

I kinda love this kid! He has a terrific attitude, and a drive to succeed. Plus, he wears bowties and neckties when he's doing business. The adorable little man! He is miles ahead of wherever those two teenaged thugs are going to end up already, and his whole ahead of him to get even farther down the road. Look at him, working for his dollars at eight, while kids about twice his age are stealing from a little kid.

ETA: Took out a repeated word.

 

[Taishobee]

He's so sweet, I love his attitude

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

What a great little guy!

 

[cubby]

Using venmo to pay for a lemonade at a kid's lemonade stand?

But I guess it helped to limit his losses. Just I feel weird using my debit card to buy a soda at WM.

 

[DeeDee]

He's such a little grown up and very well spoken. Still, it makes me sad to hear an 8 year old say something like "I feel disappointed in humanity" He's such a hard little worker and striving to be professional and he just had to learn that there will always be someone in the background waiting to snatch what you have. It's depressing.