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Thieves Snatch Women's Purses in String of Midtown Thefts, NYPD Says

By Nicole Levy | February 1, 2016 5:11pm

MIDTOWN — Two thieves snatched handbags, wallets and cash in a string of thefts over the course of two months, police said.

The first theft took place on Oct. 23 when a woman dining at Guantanamera Restaurant at 939 Eighth Ave. realized at around 10 p.m. that her purse — containing her car keys and credit cards — had been removed from her chair, the NYPD said.

A little less than a month later, on Nov. 13, a second woman inside the Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Ave. around 6 p.m. noticed her handbag was missing after she had placed it on a display table, according to the police.

A week after that, a third female victim was eating around 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 26 at a restaurant at Rockefeller Center at 20 West 50th St. when she realized her wallet was missing from her purse, police said.

The suspects, a man and a woman, used the victim's credit card to make purchases at the Michael Kors at 610 Fifth Ave. and the nearby TGI Friday's, according to the NYPD.

Later that evening, at 9:50 p.m., one of the suspects removed roughly $3,000 from the purse of a woman shopping at the Michael Kors at 610 Fifth Ave., who had placed her purse on the checkout counter, police said.

On Dec. 16, a fifth female victim was visiting Rockefeller Center with her husband to look at the Christmas tree when she found her shoulder bag unzipped and her purse gone, police said.

The purse contained $130 and an American Express card. The suspects racked up a $8,038 bill on the card, according to police.

Police have asked anyone with information call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).