MANHATTAN — A man who reached into the bra of a 93-year-old woman in a wheelchair and stole an envelope containing $600 has been arrested, police and reports said.
The pony-tailed thief who is seen in surveillance footage released by police Thursday night came up behind the woman in Regines clothing store at 176 E. 116th St., near Third Avenue, and took the money at noon Wednesday, according to the NYPD and the New York Post.
“I jumped in my chair because I was strapped in. There was nothing I could do," the woman, who the Post identified as Maria Vasquez, told the newspaper.
"I was scared," said the Dominican Republic native who started using a wheelchair after suffering a stroke.
The suspect, whose name wasn't immediately released, fled the scene but was arrested Friday morning, an NYPD spokesman said. He was still awaiting formal charges.
Great work by 25 Detective Squad & Warrants apprehending this guy so quickly after he targeted a 93 year old woman pic.twitter.com/vbfn4f0BZI
— NYPD 25th Precinct (@NYPD25Pct) September 9, 2016
It wasn't immediately clear how police found him.
Staff at the store where the robbery took place were outraged and plan on replacing the stolen money, the Post reported.
“We heard this is her rent money, so at her age she doesn’t need any more stress,” said Regines' owner, Josh Cohen, 49.
