Armed Mugger Sets Upper East Side On Edge
NEW YORK (CBS 2/WCBS 880/1010 WINS) -- Some are calling him "the fearless mugger." He's striking in daylight hours and targeting women on the well-to-do Upper East Side.
As CBS 2's Tony Aiello reports, the crime spree started on East 79th Street on Wednesday afternoon.
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WCBS 880's Monica Miller describes the suspect and the robberies.
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1010 WINS Reporter Terry Sheridan talks with residents
"It's very frightening," said Upper East Side resident Helena Sinnot. "I'm very frightened because I'm around alone a lot during the day."
The NYPD said the mugger has been attacking women, striking repeatedly over the last few days.
Three of the attacks took place on Wednesday and two of them on Thanksgiving Day. That makes a total of five incidents, four of them during broad daylight.
One of the attacks on Wednesday occurred on East 69th Street when a young woman checking her mail in the lobby of her building was forced into her apartment and robbed of money and jewelry.
The building's superintendent said residents are being extra cautious. In one case, the mugger told a victim, "I have a knife – I'm not going to hurt you, I just want your money."
No one has been injured, and in three instances the mugger fled when the victim screamed.
The suspect is a black male in his 30s with a medium to dark complexion. He is about 6-foot-1, weighing 220 pounds. He is bald and clean shaven.
One young Upper East Sider said she drops her guard during the day.
"Yeah, definitely a little bit. You wouldn't think you're going to get attacked during the day, but living in New York, I guess you have to keep your guard up at all times," Andrea Strong said.
Many residents said they're doing just that. They're also urged to keep a look out, and to contact cops if they spot the suspect. Friday morning, however, Aiello spotted other buildings with doors propped open. The security lapse irked some residents.
"They clean out the hallway and open the door so it dries, so the floor dries," said Jan Burns of the Upper East Side.
The crimes have taken place in the area bordered by 69th and 93rd streets, between Second Avenue and the FDR Drive.
