81-Year-Old Mugged At Subway Station

Police are searching for a woman who robbed and shoved an 81-year-old woman to the ground at a downtown Manhattan subway station. On January 4 at 10:40 p.m., Madeline Klima was swiping her Metrocard at a turnstile at the Fulton Street station when the suspect approached her from behind. Klima, who works as an office cleaner, broke her shoulder and suffered a head laceration; she told the Post, "I knew my bag was gone and I yelled, 'I was robbed!' 'I was robbed!'

Police released video of the mugging. The Post describes, "Video shows the elderly woman, clad in an ankle-length black coat, bright red hat and support hose, tightly clutching an oversized bag in her left arm. The powerful mugger, described by cops as a black woman, about 5-feet-11 and 190 to 200 pounds, tails the elderly woman into station and cruelly strikes as the unsuspecting senior citizen is about to pay her fare. Grabbing the purse with both of her arms, the thug flips the stunned victim backward and throws her to the ground. She then flees out of the station the way she came."

Klima, who says she doesn't want to retire, said of her attacker, "She got my paychecks, $800. I guess I'll have to survive without it," but "You can't be suspicious of everybody, and you can't judge people by their clothes." She does want her assailant caught: "She's gotta suffer somehow, someway or another. If she does this to someone else, she's gotta live with it."

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

By Jen Chung in News on January 12, 2011 9:40 AM

Comments [rss]

Communist

What's the point of a camera when you can't see shit when crime happens? Honestly... what is the fucking point?

Guest

to make sure that we understand: "it's scary out there..."

patsw

Without these cameras, who knows if this would even be entered into the crime statistics?

The elderly are vulnerable and for some reason, too many of them carry large amounts of cash, which them as class of victims, more valuable to rob and less likely to resist.

splicernyc

This mugging is sponsored in part by our friends at 3M. Post It notes are a great way to remind yourself, "Remember to mug an old lady today".

ktinnyc

I can't believe you don't use adblock on your browser.

Madly Hatting

I'm just glad the Daily News decided to also profit from this old lady by selling advertisements to the video. At least the mugger wasn't the only one making money.

jibbly

On one hand I feel sad that she has to work at the age of 81. On the other hand I'm impressed that she's still physically and mentally able to work.

whitecastlerock

I hope the scumbags in Albany send this poor woman a check for $800...

69GeorgeWBush69

It goes without saying, but the mugger is complete scum. Regardless, why is someone as vulnerable as Ms. Klima carrying $800 in cash? I'm guessing she gets paid under the table.

Mr. Know-It-All

Where does it say the mugger got cash? The victim was quoted as saying "She got my paychecks, $800."

69GeorgeWBush69

She said "I guess I'll have to survive without it", referring to her $800. If it was a paycheck, I would guess she could easily have it replaced.

luke_1

It makes a whole lot more sense for her to have misspoken than to be carrying around $800 in cash. That would be my first thought as well, then I'd realize that I can get new checks.

Mr. Know-It-All

Well, let's just hope that the lowlife turd who mugged her only got paychecks, as this story suggests, and that the unfortunate woman was simply mistaken about not being able to replace them.

69GeorgeWBush69

I agree with both your sentiments and your use of the word "turd".

j44ke

Because getting around is difficult for the elderly, so they make one trip to the bank, cash their paycheck/social security, go to the post office and buy money orders to pay their bills. Fixed income &/or low wage usually means no bank account because of bank fees and the like that penalize people who have limited cash flow in their account, something that should be changed for senior citizens of a certain age and income range for precisely the reason this event illustrates.

69GeorgeWBush69

I'm going to call bogus on that. I do agree that those fees are scummy, but it's not very difficult to find a bank that offers a checking account with no minimum fee, especially if you use direct deposit, which is available to social security users. Having bank checks and a debit card eliminates the unnecessary risk of carrying around large sums of cash. I have a feeling she either mistrusts banks, as some elderly people do, or she gets paid under the table.

silver

Debit cards dont get rejected if there is no money, they just get negative balances with 90% interest.

j44ke

Actually, free checking accounts have nearly disappeared, even with direct deposit. The few banks that still offer free checking require minimum balances, usually around $1500. Or they require that all banking be done through the use of technology - online or through ATMs only. Those banks are typically the smaller banks with fewer locations, requiring the use of other banks' ATMs and thus incurring fees if there isn't a branch nearby. Rules, accessibility, technology - all impediments to the low income and the elderly.