Police: 60-Year-Old Woman Robbed By 4 Women In Cedarhurst

CEDARHURST, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police were searching for four women Monday, after a commuter was brutally beaten as she walked from the Long Island Rail Road station in Cedarhurst this past weekend.

As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, the incident occurred at the intersection of Fifth and Leroy avenues around 7:15 p.m. Sunday. The 60-year-old victim was going about her business like any other Sunday evening, heading for work as a housekeeper for a local family.

But this time, the peaceful four-block walk was shattered.

A fearful neighbor did not want to speak on camera, but said she found the victim lying on the ground bleeding.

"She was terrified; she was -- absolute terror," the neighbor said. "She was screaming. She was shaking."

The victim did not want to be identified either. But police said her attackers, one of them in a Halloween mask and three wearing hoodies, were all women.

"As she went by, one of the group of four turned around and struck the victim in the back of the head – causing her to fall to the ground," said Nassau County police Inspector Kenneth Lack. "The other three suspects then began punching and kicking her, and one of them removed her pocketbook."

Her purse contained cash, credit cards and a cell phone, 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reported.

The vicious beating happened at steps from Geralyn Pulella's front door.

"I would never think of something like that in this great neighborhood, so we have to watch," Pulella said.

Neighbors have seen a recent spate of car break-ins in the area, but they were most stunned to hear the perpetrators' gender.

"To be walking out alone – especially a woman themselves – to be attacked by three other women; four other women – it's ridiculous," said neighbor Nicole Berkowitz.

"It's crazy," said neighbor Matt Redash. "I mean – the last thing you'd expect around here."

Police also said robberies by a group of women are not common.

"It is much more rare to see a group of women do a robbery like this. It is unusual," Lack said.

The victim's employer said the woman is doing OK -- badly bruised and shaken up, but grateful her pocketbook was found blocks away. The contents of her wallet were missing.

The incident appeared to be isolated, police said. There were no reports of other recent crimes like it.

One of the suspects is about 6 feet tall with a thin build and medium length straight hair, police said. She was wearing a blue coat, workout-type pants and a black Halloween mask with white eyes, the victim told police.

Two other suspects are about 5 feet 5 inches tall, with heavy builds, police said. Both were wearing hoodies.

The only information police released about the fourth suspect was that she was wearing light colored blue jeans.

Detectives are asking anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

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