UPPER EAST SIDE — A burglar used a hammer to break into a high-end consignment boutique and steal a Chanel handbag last month, according to the NYPD.
A man approached Collette, a consignment shop at 153 E. 70th St. at Lexington Avenue, on April 18 at roughly 10:40 p.m. and smashed shop's window display with a hammer, police said.
The man, who wore a gray sweatshirt, baseball cap and jeans, fled with a Chanel "Boy" handbag valued at $4,800.
Tisha Collette, the shop's owner who has multiple locations, has increased security at the store, which was boarded up for a couple of days after the incident.
"Unfortunately it was a random kind of smash and grab situation," she told DNAinfo New York on Friday.
"We have since replaced he glass with non-shatter Plexiglass and then we upped the security with chains and locks."
A photo provided by the NYPD shows the man wearing a T-shirt with a heart on it and a necklace with a cross.
Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You can also submit a tip by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.