Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

'Well-Dressed' Woman Linked to Downtown Wallet Thefts, Cops Say

By Heather Holland | February 22, 2013 11:38am

GRAMERCY — A well-dressed, fedora-wearing thief has been targeting victims at Downtown hot spots, lifting wallets off her marks before making a stylish getaway, police said.

The female suspect — wearing a pale-colored fedora hat and a white sweater — was caught on video snatching a wallet out of her victim's purse at SideBAR on East 15th Street Feb. 7 about 9:45 p.m., cops from the 13th Precinct said at a community meeting.

During the incident, a patron had her purse hanging on a chair and left the bag unattended while talking to friends, police said. That’s when the suspect put her own jacket over the chair and snatched the wallet, cops added.

SideBAR’s surveillance camera captured an image of the suspect, and based on the photos, police are linking her to another theft that occurred at Recette restaurant, located at 328 W. 12th St. in the West Village, authorities said.

“We’re basing this on photos, so we’re not 100 percent it’s the same person,” said Deputy Inspector David Ehrenberg, commanding officer of the 13th Precinct. A surveillance image of the suspect from the alleged Recette theft shows a similar-looking woman also wearing fedora and sweater, he noted.

Photos of the suspect can not be released to the public while the investigation continues, Ehrenberg said.