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Police ID Man Suspected of Attacking, Robbing Elderly Women in South Bronx

By Eddie Small | November 23, 2015 5:28pm
 Police suspect Gilrael Ruperto of committing a series of robberies in the South Bronx against women in their 60s and 70s.
Police suspect Gilrael Ruperto of committing a series of robberies in the South Bronx against women in their 60s and 70s.
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NYPD

SOUTH BRONX — Police are looking for a man suspected in a series of attacks against elderly women in which he sprays them in the face with an unknown substance and robs them, police said.

Gilrael Ruperto, 26, is suspected of robbing three women in their 60s and 70s over the past few weeks, according to the NYPD.

On Nov. 8 around 7:50 p.m., he went up to a 68-year-old woman on the third floor of an E. 156th St. apartment building, held a knife up to her neck and stole her bag, which contained $500, police said.

He struck again on Nov. 15 around 3:25 p.m., when he followed a 64-year-old woman into the elevator of her apartment building on E. 153rd St.

When she started to leave the elevator on the ninth floor, Ruperto grabbed her, threw her to the floor, sprayed her in the face with an unknown substance and punched her several times, according to the NYPD.

He then snatched her bag, $50 in cash and a ZTE smartphone, police said.

His latest reported attack came on Nov. 17, when he followed a 72-year-old woman into her apartment building on E. 137th St. and attacked her when she got out of the elevator on the seventh floor, again by throwing her to the ground and spraying her in the face with an unknown substance before taking her purse.

Officers have described Ruperto as a man with a tattoo on the back of his neck who stands about 5 feet tall and weighs about 125 pounds.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577.