Serial robber attacks women with expensive bags in New York stores
'08.09.2022'
Nadezhda Verbitskaya
A brazen thief from Staten Island has been attacking women with expensive handbags in supermarkets and shops in the area since the end of July. Since then, cases of robberies have increased, according to NBC New York.
The first two of the four robberies took place at stores in Staten Island-Hylan Plaza. The thief saw a 38-year-old woman shopping at Marshalls put her Michael Kors handbag in the stroller as she went to pay at the checkout. The man, without hesitation, took the bag. It contained about $300 in cash, an iPhone 12, and credit cards. The cops say he made $500 worth of illegal purchases using stolen information. It happened at lunchtime on July 30th.
Less than a week later, this man committed another robbery in the same mall.
This time, he targeted a 66-year-old woman with a Coach handbag in a Shop Rite supermarket. During this theft, he received another iPhone, credit cards, and $150.
On the subject: Plastic bags banned in New Jersey: now shoppers steal baskets from stores
The last 2 incidents occurred on August 17 and 19 at a Staten Island mall on Richmond Hill Road and a Stop & Shop supermarket on Highland Boulevard. At the mall, a 71-year-old woman was shopping at Macy's. She briefly left her white Michael Kors handbag unattended in the hamper.
At this time, a thief ran up and took her away. Thus, he took with him $ 1000 in cash, an iPhone 12 and credit cards. According to police, the thief later made $163 in illegal credit card purchases at Kids Footlocker in Brooklyn.
Two days later, there was a robbery at the Stop & Shop. In this case, a 59-year-old woman placed her wallet in a purse that was in her shopping cart and left it unattended for a moment. The wallet with $200 in cash and credit cards was gone. The NYPD alleges that the man made $652 worth of illegal purchases using her cards, including at New Dorp's deli.
The NYPD released CCTV footage from the fourth case in the outline (above) in an attempt to get him into custody. Anyone with information is asked to call the Crime Squad at 1-800-577-TIPS.
