LOWER EAST SIDE — A man snatched a $1,750 gold chain off another man's neck while he slept on a subway bench, the latest incident of chain snatching that has plagued the neighborhood in recent weeks.
The incident happened a day after another man had his necklace snatched while walking down the street, and a week after a man forcefully snatched necklaces from women’s necks in the neighborhood, police said. The NYPD does not believe are related to the most recent incidents.
A 56-year-old man was walking on Willet Street near Grand Street on Aug. 30 at around 1:40 p.m. when a man on a bike rode up behind him and snatched a metal chain from around his neck, causing him to stumble and fall to the sidewalk, police said.
The victim sustained a small cut to his thumb during the tumble, police said, while the suspect fled on his bike down Willet Street with the chain.
The chain is estimated to be worth around $2,000, according to a police report.
The suspect is described as a man around 25 years old, standing at 5-foot-8, weighing 160 pounds, with short brown hair.
Then, on Aug. 31 at around 5:40 a.m., an 18-year-old man fell asleep on a bench while waiting for an F train at the Delancey-Essex Street subway station and woke up to find a pricey gold chain missing from his neck and $60 missing from his fanny pack, police said.
The victim’s co-worker told police he spotted a man leering over the sleeping victim at the time and yelled at the suspect, who fled in an unknown direction, authorities said.
The necklace is estimated to be worth roughly $1,750, according to a police report.
The witness described the suspect as a man roughly 30 years old and standing at 5-foot-7, police said.
Police do not believe the same suspect committed both thefts.
Meanwhile, police are still looking for a man they say has been snatching necklaces from women’s necks near the Rutgers and LaGuardia houses — the suspect in these cases is believed to be unrelated to the most recent incidents, police said.
