Robber Targeting Women on Their Way Home in the LES, Police Say
(DNAINFO) Lisha Arino | January 9, 2016 — A robber has been targeting women in the past month, often sneaking up on them and attacking them before running off with their purses, police said.
Over the past few weeks, the robber’s victims have included an 88-year-old woman, who he put in a headlock before dragging her to the ground, as well as a woman he shared an elevator with before attacking her, said Capt. Steven Hellman, the commanding officer of the 7th Precinct.
“We’re very concerned,” he said.
The robber, a man who is about 30 years old, most recently tried to steal a 30-year-old woman’s purse after following her up the stairs in her apartment building, but her quick thinking scared him off, Hellman said.
“She had hot tea and she threw it on him so he was unsuccessful,” he said.