‘Delivery Man’ wanted for string of violent purse snatchings

By Dan Gesslein

A man dressed as a food delivery worker or a messenger is being sought by police for a series of vicious purse snatching throughout the north west Bronx including Riverdale.

Cops say the purse snatcher who rides a moped, robbed women ages 20 to 61 in four incidents in the north west Bronx.

Police released surveillance video from inside a store on Fordham Road. Investigators said at 9:30 pm on April 9, the suspect tried to use a sto- len bank card to pay for some items in the store. In the video the suspect is seen wearing a black motorcycle helmet and blue surgical gloves. He also had a red bag strapped to his back similar to an insulated bag food delivery drivers use.

The first incident took place in Kingsbridge Heights at around 11:30 pm on April 6. A 20-year-old woman was walking into an apartment building at 2721 Health Avenue when someone pulled on the book bag she was wearing. She turned around to find a man holding a knife. He then removed her bag, ran outside and drove away on a moped.

Cops say the crook made off with a JBL speaker valued at $80, a $25 phone charger, bank and credit cards.

The next robbery took place at 9 pm in Van Cortlandt Village on April 9. A 61-year-old woman was walking in front of 3823 Sedgwick Avenue when a man came up to her and ripped her purse off her shoulder. He then fled on a moped. The woman was not injured. The purse snatcher made off with $240 cash, a cellphone, and a bank card.

A woman waiting for an Uber in Spuyten Duyvil was robbed on April 10. At around 8 pm, a 24-year-old woman was standing in front of 510 Kappock Street, when the thief on a moped rode up to her. He displayed a knife and ripped the purse from the woman and drove off. Cops report he made off with $122 in cash, car keys and an ID.

The fi nal robbery took place at around 8:45 pm on April 14. A woman was walking on Oxford Avenue in Riverdale when the attacker ran up to her. As he tried to remove the purse from her arm, the 53-yearold woman fought back. The robber knocked her to the ground and dragged her by the purse until she let go. He then hopped on the moped and fl ed.

The woman sustained a cut to her right arm but refused medical attention at the scene. The thief made off with $100 in cash, car keys and the victim’s ID.

The suspect is described as a male 25 years of age who is 5 foot 8 and 140 pounds. He has a dark complexion and thin build.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident 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 CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers. nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips.

All calls are strictly confidential.