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Mugging Outside Chinatown School Prompts Safety Alert

By Casey Cora | May 3, 2013 6:36am
 Police are investigating a mugging outside St. Therese Chinese Catholic School, 247 W. 23rd St.
Police are investigating a mugging outside St. Therese Chinese Catholic School, 247 W. 23rd St.
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DNAinfo/Casey Cora

CHINATOWN — Police are investigating a daytime mugging outside a neighborhood school.

A visitor to a home near St. Therese Chinese Catholic School, 247 W. 23rd St., was mugged by two men while getting out of his car about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, school officials said.

"They approached his car as he's getting out. It was the middle of the day and there tons of people around. They took his stuff and ran off, both in different directions," school spokeswoman Sarah Gibbs said.

The victim was not hurt, Gibbs said.

The pair apparently returned a few hours later “to strike again as parents picked up from after-school care," according to an alert issued by the school.

Police told St. Therese school leaders the assailants were likely targeting victims they thought were parents, who can typically be distracted while picking up their kids from school.

A police spokesperson did not have information on the incidents.

School officials have turned over surveillance tape of the muggings to authorities.