Cops are looking for this suspect who allegedly snatched an octogenarian’s purse as she took an evening stroll in Jackson Heights.
Photo courtesy of the NYPD
Police from the 115th Precinct in Jackson Heights are looking for a purse snatcher who targeted an elderly woman as she took an evening stroll on Sunday, May 24.
The 84-year-old victim was walking near 72nd Street and 37th Avenue just after 6:30 p.m. when a stranger approached her from behind and grabbed her purse, containing her cell phone and her wallet containing an undetermined amount of cash, police said. The suspect fled westbound on 37th Avenue toward Broadway and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. The senior woman was not injured during the encounter.
The NYPD released surveillance images of the suspect and described him as having a medium complexion with a slim build. He wore a black hooded sweatshirt, black sweatpants, beige sneakers and a black face covering.
A reward of up to $3,500 is being offered for information that leads to his arrest and indictment.
Anyone with information regarding this grand larceny investigation is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org or on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are strictly confidential.
Through May 24, the 115th Precinct has reported 238 grand larcenies so far in 2026, 35 fewer than the 273 reported at the same point last year, a decline of 12.8%, according to the most recent CompStat report.