Grifter Granny Says She Used to Be A Model

According to her driver's license, the 76-year-old woman who was recently busted for stealing a wallet from a Fairway shopping cart is named Charlotte Petrovas. She's been arrested 73 times over the years under dozens of different aliases, and the assistant DA says they've had trouble verifying her identity because she "virtually burned off the fingers on both hands, which makes fingerprinting virtually impossible." In an interview with the Post, she explained that "my father died when I was young, so I had to go to work. I was a model in the Fashion District. I did that for years, but then I had an accident and broke three bones in my back and went on disability." She says she's not a "career criminal" but stole "just to get the things I need."

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

By John Del Signore in News on October 24, 2008 11:45 AM

Comments [rss]

HUGO_MEGO

She looks a lot like Hillary 'goat skin' Clinton.

Snoopy

Apparently she steals red hair dye also.

Steven

How long has she been in prison? If you're only going to be locked away for a few months then why not keep doing what you do.

Dirk

If you can't do the time, don't do the crime, granny.

schizofriendly

...those were the days...

73 times, though!

Gaw!

buzzbuzzard

Gee our old La Salle ran great.

TooTallJeff

3: I didn't know Sarah Palin posted on gothamist. Totally sweet.

Huffy6241

When I steal, it's usually to get only the stuff I need too. Except this one time I stole a pair of Manolo Blahniks. I felt I didn't really need them, and thought that stealing them would be an unnecessary indulgence. I ended up deciding that I really did deserve them and treated myself to stealing them anyway.

Why is crime only endearing when old people do it?