A day after the police released images of an ice pick- and knife-wielding man who robbed four women in the Bronx and Manhattan, the suspect apparently struck two more times yesterday. Police believe that the same man is behind the muggings of two women in Stuyvesant Town. City Councilman Daniel Garodnick, who lives in the complex, told the Post, "This guy is really sick. Residents should be extremely vigilant when entering their buildings."
Ice Pick Mugger Strikes Twice At Stuy Town
Cops Seek Ice Pick-Wielding Mugger
The police are looking for a suspect they believe is behind four muggings, three in the Bronx and one in Manhattan, over the past few weeks. In each instance, the man followed a woman into her apartment building and then onto an elevator, where he threatened her with either a knife or ice pick and finally robbed her.
Video: Cops Search For Purse Snatching Subway Stabber
Police are still searching for the serial mugger who stabbed a woman when she refused to give up her purse at an Upper West Side subway station last week. Surveillance video of the thief was released today (you can see it below). Police are now crediting the perp with robbing three different women this summer at knife-point.
Pregnant Woman Admits Chasing Thief a Bad Idea
The woman who chased down a cell phone thief in Prospect Park admitted that "it was not the brightest thing to do, and I will hold myself back from doing anything like that again." At 8-months pregnant, she was able to nearly catch up to the 18-year-old bandit before two other good Samaritans nabbed him. And it turns out they weren't the only two trying to help!
12-Year Old Mugger Robs Hasidic Women
Members of Williamsburg's Shomrim patrol busted a 12-year-old thief who robs Hasidic women with a cleverly disguised cap gun. "Give me your money!" demanded Shy-kym Samuels at 9:45 a.m. yesterday morning, pointing the toy weapon at his 34-year-old victim. The woman, who had a two-year-old in a stroller, was fooled and handed over her purse. Samuels ran.
Manhattan Mugger Gets 25 For Murder
A Manhattan mugger who beat an elderly Orthodox Jewish man to death in a Washington Heights residential elevator nearly four years ago was given a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison today. William Hill, 28, whom the Post describes as "a 6-foot-6 career mugger," entered the elevator on May 2, 2006 with 81-year-old Jacob Gerstle, who was just returning to his home from synagogue; Hill beat up the 5-foot-3 Gerstle, then forced his way into his apartment and stole $250 and his cell phone. Gerstle fell into a coma and died two days later.
Mugger Scoffs at Non-iPhone Options
The NY Post's police blotter brings us back to the days of Mugger Money. They report a suspect confronted two 20-something females on East 59th Street near Park Avenue at 4:10 a.m. on Saturday wielding a large knife. After taking their cash, "the thief then asked to see their cellphones, but, when the women produced them, he uttered, 'I don't want that,' and ran off." Aside from sounding like something that would happen to Liz Lemon, perhaps this can serve as a warning that it could be time to start carrying around your old rotary telephone as a decoy! Or install Google Latitude for tracking purposes. [via NY Mag]
Police Search for UES Serial Mugger
The NYPD released a sketch of a man believed to be responsible for three separate muggings. In all three incidents, the victims were hit on the back of their heads. The first, on 2/22, around 9:11 p.m., involved a woman walking her dog on on 91st Street and East Drive. Then, this past Monday, a woman was robbed at First Avenue and 90th Street and then minutes later, another woman was robbed at 90th and York Avenue. It's also believed that the same mugger is the one chased away from a woman at 89th Street and York on Tuesday—according to the Post, a doorman saw a man "rush up behind a 31-year-old woman, knock her into a pile of garbage bags and jump on her back at about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday." The doorman, who tried to chase the attacker, said, "She couldn't yell because her face was pushed into the garbage." Contact Crimestoppers with any information.
Police Look for Starrett City Mugger
According to police, a mugger has been targeting women for their purses-- many of the victims are in their 60s and 70s-- in Brooklyn's Starrett City development. WABC 7 has a list of the attacks, which started in September: Frequently mugger will follow the victim into her building lobby or elevator and then strike in the back of the head or shove her. Police describe the suspect as an African-American man, 25-35 years old, 5'8" with a medium build. Contact CrimeStoppers if you have information: Call 800-577-TIPS or text 274637 and enter "tip577."
Elderly Woman Gets Tough With Mugger
An unidentified mugger got more than he bargained for when he tried to rob 77-year-old Barbara Mirbt outside her E. 83rd St. home Wednesday night. Mirbt is a tough cookie who survived the World War II bombing of Berlin, so when the thug told her to give up her bag or be stabbed, she wasn't ascared. She tells the Daily News that she fought back, even after the mugger stabbed her wrist with an pocketknife, saying 'I'm going to stab you more." Which he did, finally wresting away the bag, containing $1,500 for a sick friend. But Mirbt wasn't going to give up that easy, and she tried to chase her assailant, "blood leaking through her blouse." Yeah, you better run, punk! A neighbor muses, "I guess Barbara was feeling feisty." She was released from the hospital the next day; the mugger is still on the run from Mirbt.
iPhones Mean More Young Muggers
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly explained why there are more younger muggers these days: It's the iPhone!
Mugger Attacks Cop's Family, Is Quickly Killed
An attempted mugging proved fatal for the attacker late yesterday evening, as a man followed a woman and her three-year-old child into their building shortly before midnight Saturday. The mugger apparently did not know that the pair's husband and father was a NYPD officer who was off-duty at the time. When the man attacked the woman and brandished a gun after they get off the elevator on the 3rd floor, the mother screamed. Her husband rushed from their apartment and shot the mugger once in the torso--a wound which was fatal.

