Robber Targets Morning Subway Commuters

The police are searching for a man who robs subway passengers during their morning commutes. He targets his victims on the subway platform, grabs their purses and then runs into the subway tunnels.

The suspect has committed four robberies in the past five days, all during the morning rush hour, all with female victims. Here's a list of the robberies, via WNBC:

The man first struck at approximately 8:30 a.m. Sunday on the L subway at 14th Street and First Avenue, police said. The man approached a 24-year-old female who was sitting on a platform bench, grabbed her purse and then fled, police said.

Two days later, at about 9:20 a.m. on the 1 subway at Seventh Avenue South and Christopher Street, the suspect approached a 38-year-old woman, grabbed her purse and then fled.

The next morning, at about 9:05 a.m., the same man is believed to have approached a 30-year-old woman on the L subway at 14th Street and Third Avenue, grabbed her purse and then fled into the subway tunnel for a third time.

His most recent attack was just after 7:30 a.m. on the northbound 6 platform at Lafayette and Bleeker streets. He is said to have approached a 27-year-old woman’s purse before fleeing into the subway tunnel.

The NYPD released a sketch of the suspect, described as a man who is age 30 to 35 years old and approximately 5'9", with a medium build. Call Crimestoppers (800-577-TIPS) with any information.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on May 16, 2008 8:15 AM

Comments [rss]

rocketattackusa

Man, the C.H.U.D. are getting really bold these days.

sakuranbo

The perp is sure to be caught if decoys were monitoring the lower Manhattan (mostly 14th St.) train stations... We need to get rid of these parasites of society.

babyhitler

he's wearing a do-rag? is it the early 90's again?

Spirit of 76

Maybe, but then you'd be bitching that your commute was ruined when the MTA had to temporarily halt service to remove his corpse.

lanciano

re: #9

Exactly. squash. just like grape. that would save time and money.

Snoopy

Return of "THEM!"

rtd2101

Or maybe he's one of the mole people...

rtd2101

"grabs their purses and then runs into the subway tunnels."

Unless this guy is a former MTA employee, who knows what he's doing in there, I think these robberies will resolve themselves pretty soon.

Nick S

did that article mentioned use enough variations on "grabbed purse and fled into a subway tunnel" ????

EastRiver

These people are look the same to me. And by that I mean suspects in police drawings. Do these things ever help catch criminals? At least he isn't wearing sunglasses and a hood like the Unabomber sketch.

ed_Extinct

bernie goetz? you out there?

smitty

He wouldn't get much if he stole mine - a withered paperback, a debit card with hardly any money in it, and a credit card near its limit. And a tampon.

ENJOY!