By Heather Grossmann
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — An ex-convict accused of mugging at least five women at apartment buildings across the Upper East Side last week is under arrest, police said.
Tyrone Hunter, 55, of the Bronx, was arrested Tuesday night on charges of robbery and assault, the NYPD said.
When a reporter asked him if he had committed the crimes, he answered "No," before being escorted away by police.
Hunter's alleged crime spree started at noon last Wednesday, when he tried to rob a 26-year-old woman inside an apartment building on East 79th Street, police said. He allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and told her to remain silent. When she screamed, he ran without taking anything, police said.
A couple of hours later, a 25-year-old woman was walking down the stairs of a building on East 69th Street when police said Hunter forced her back into her apartment and robbed her of jewelry and an undisclosed sum of money.
Later that Wednesday, Hunter struck again on East 93rd Street, police said. He allegedly demanded money from a 35-year-old woman in the vestibule of her apartment building. When she screamed, he ran away again.
Hunter allegedly stayed busy the following day, on Thanksgiving, grabbing a 56-year-old woman from behind in the vestibule of her East 89th Street apartment building, police said. Police said he put his hand over her mouth and demanded money. When she screamed, he pushed her to the ground and ran away.
A few hours later, a 26-year-old woman was checking her mail in the lobby of an East 78th Street building when police said Hunter approached her from behind and said, "I have a knife, am not going to hurt you. I just want your money."
He stole the victim's money, a watch and an iPod, police said.
Hunter reportedly served more than 30 years in state prison, including a 24-year stint for robbery, and eight years in the 1970s for rape and burglary, according to the New York Post.
Hunter was expected to be arraigned as early as Wednesday.
