CLAREMONT — A Bronx mugger punched an 82-year-old man feeding birds in the mouth and snatched his wallet, police said.
The victim was scattering bread for the birds in the back of his apartment building by Hoe Avenue and East 174th Street around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday when 27-year-old Cody McKenzie and 27-year-old Laura Lima came up to him from behind, according to the NYPD.
McKenzie grabbed him, threw him to the ground, punched him and stole his wallet before fleeing in an unknown direction, police said.
But Lima was not so lucky. A husband and wife duo responding to the victim's cry for help, grabbed her while she was trying to flee into an adjacent building and were able to hold her until police arrived, officials said.
She was arrested and charged with robbery, but McKenzie is still at large, police said.
Officers described him as standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds, and they believe he is homeless.
The specific type of relationship between McKenzie and Lima is unclear, but the two were previously arrested for a robbery on Jan. 17, when they came up to a 51-year-old man at East 174th Street and Rosedale Avenue just after midnight, cut his hand and stole his wallet, police said.
The victim suffered bruising and pain to his mouth and jaw but declined medical attention, according to the NYPD.
Anyone with information about this robbery is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
