MIDTOWN — A serial thief stole purses and pocketbooks from 10 different women in Manhattan during a three-week spree, police said.
The suspect — who was caught on camera on June 14 wearing a plaid shirt, khaki pants and a bucket hat — first stole a 63-year-old woman’s handbag containing her credit cards an iPhone charger around 11:30 a.m. on June 11, the NYPD said.
The woman was inside 147 W. 43rd St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues when the theft happened, police said.
A day later, around 12:03 p.m., the thief stole an 81-year-old woman’s handbag with her driver’s license, wallet, credit cards, hearing aid and medication at 1515 Broadway, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, the NYPD said.
Two days later on June 14 at 12:25 p.m., the suspect stole a black handbag containing credit cards and reading glasses from a woman of an unknown age at 5 Bryant Park, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, police said.
The thief struck three times in a single day on June 16, starting around noon at 108 W. 40th St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, when he stole a 40-year-old woman’s purse, wallet, credit cards and MetroCard, the NYPD said.
Around 1:10 p.m., he made his way to 1400 Broadway, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, where he stole a 24-year-old woman’s purse containing cash, a Duane Reade prescription, a Kate Spade item and personal mail, police said.
Twenty minutes later, he stole a 36-year-old woman’s pocketbook with cash and credit cards at 1000 Sixth Ave., between West 37th and 38th streets, the NYPD said.
The next day, on June 17, the thief was at 230 Vesey St. around 1:33 p.m. when he stole a 40-year-old woman’s pocketbook containing cash, credit cards, an ID card and a cashmere sweater, police said.
He struck again in Midtown on June 19 around 2:20 p.m., stealing a 67-year-old woman’s handbag containing cash, credit cards, an E-ZPass, a driver’s license and keys at 147 W. 43rd St., between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, the NYPD said.
He kept a low profile until about a week later, when he stole a 42-year-old woman’s handbag, cash, credit cards, Gucci glasses, a monthly MetroCard and driver’s license at 38 W. 39th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, around 1:17 p.m. on June 26, police said.
Four days later, on June 30 around 1 p.m., the man stole a 73-year-old woman’s black handbag containing a camera and other items at 220 W. 42nd St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues, the NYPD said.
Police are searching for a man who was last seen wearing a plaid collared shirt, khaki pants, brown loafers, glasses and a white bucket hat.
Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS, or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577.
