NEW YORK CITY — A woman is accused of being a mini crimewave after trying to rob eight people in Queens and Staten Island, police said.
Rehana Hussain, 43, robbed patrons of stores like Costco, Panera Bread and Marshalls between Jan. 20 and Feb, 28, police said. Sometimes she took small items from handbags, while other times she snatched purses, according to the NYPD.
In one instance while working with a partner, Hussain tried to snatch a woman's handbag from her shopping cart inside a Staten Island DSW on Feb. 28, but the would-be victim noticed in time to stop her, cops said.
Hussain struck again five just hours later, this time plucking a purse from a woman's shopping cart inside a Marshalls in Long Island City about 6 p.m., police said.
She has used the credit cards of two of her victims including one she pilfered from another woman's purse while she was waiting at the cashier inside a Rego Park Century 21 about 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 20, cops said.
In five of the eight incidents, Hussain took handbags left unattended in a shopping cart, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).
