Police in Brooklyn are asking for the public's help in tracking down a man they say has targeted elderly women in a pair of robberies. According to News 12, investigators believe the same person robbed elderly women of their handbags not once but twice in recent days, and they have released an image in the hope that someone will recognize him.
The first of the two robberies took place over the holiday. According to police, on July 4th the man was riding a scooter along Winthrop and East 54th Streets when he snatched a 79-year-old woman's purse from her and then took off, using the scooter to make a quick getaway after grabbing the handbag.
The second robbery came just a few days later and was more physical. According to the account, on July 7th the same man pushed an 86-year-old woman to the ground in front of 727 Utica Avenue, then stole 10 dollars from her handbag before running off again, leaving another elderly victim shaken in the street.
Taken together, the two incidents have raised concern because of who was targeted. Both victims were elderly women, and in each case the robber went after a handbag, a pattern that has led police to link the crimes to a single suspect and to warn the community as they work to identify and locate him.
The escalation between the two robberies has added to the worry. While the July 4th theft involved a purse being snatched, the July 7th incident saw the victim knocked to the ground, a step up in force that underscores the potential danger to those the man may target if he is not caught.
For now, the investigation rests in part on the public's help. According to News 12, police have put out an image of the person they are looking for and are asking anyone who recognizes him to call, hoping that a tip from the community will help bring the robberies to an end.