Dec. 11, 2017 By Christian Murray
The police are looking for a pickpocket who has allegedly swiped eight women’s wallets or phones in downtown Flushing in the past six weeks.
In each case the suspect has bump into an unsuspecting target—typically young women–and then remove their wallet or cellphone, police said.
The police have received several reports.
On Sunday, Oct. 29, the suspect allegedly bumped into a 33-year-old woman at around 4 p.m. in front of 135-41 Roosevelt Ave., before removing her wallet from her bag. The suspect fled and used the victim’s bank card to make $ $488 worth of transactions.
On Nov. 4, he bumped into a 32-year-old woman at around 3:45 p.m. in the vicinity of 41 Avenue and Main Street and removed her wallet from her bag. He then fled.
The police received a report that on Monday, Nov. 6 at 5:40 p.m. the man bumped into a 36-year-old female inside of CH supermarket, before removing her cellphone from her pocket.
On Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017 the same man allegedly targeted a 19-year-old female in front of 40-24 College Point Boulevard. He took her wallet and used the victim’s bank card to purchase a metro card totaling $1,122, police said.
Then on Friday, Nov. 17 at 4:10 p.m. the suspect is captured on video surveillance exiting CJ’s supermarket located at 40-33 Main Street and unzipping a 58-year old woman’s bag and removing her wallet, police said.
On Saturday, Nov. 18, he tugged on the bag of a 14-year-old girl at around 1:30 p.m. in front of 40-33 Main Street and removed her wallet. He then fled.
Later that day, at 7:05 p.m., he bumped into a 25-year-old woman near 40-34 Main Street and removed her wallet from her bag.
It was reported to the police that on Wednesday, Nov. 29 at 3:30 p.m. he put his hand into a 23-year-old woman’s jacket pocket and removed her cellphone. The incident allegedly took place in front of 41-62 Main Street.
The suspect is described as black, 50-55 years of age, dark complexion, last seen wearing a black coat, red sweater, white shirt, white sneakers, and a black hat.
Anyone with information is asked to call NYPD’s Crimestoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS