UPPER EAST SIDE — A stranger followed a woman into the vestibule of her apartment building on Friday, then beat her and snatched her purse, police said.
The man slipped into the East 67th Street building behind a 54-year-old woman as she was walking into the vestibule. He cornered her and punched her in the face and body until she handed over her purse, according to authorities.
The suspect then fled in an unknown direction with the victim's purse which contained her cellphone, police said.
The woman suffered a cut to her left eye and bruising on her face and was taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital for treatment.
Part of the robbery was captured in a surveillance video released by the NYPD, showing the victim being punched in the face.
Police described the robber as a man between 40 and 45 year years old, about 5-foot-4 and wearing all black.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS.
