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NYPD: 3 Wanted In Connection With Manhattan Robbery Spree

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police say they are looking for three people in connection with a robbery spree across Manhattan within the last two weeks.

Police say a man seen at the turnstile at the 14th Street subway station on Jan. 15 is wanted in connection with three incidents.

The first happened on Jan. 15 at 11:30 p.m. when police say a 41-year-old woman's purse was stolen on West 12th Street and 7th Avenue.

Investigators believe in the next robbery, he brought friends and got violent. Police have released pictures of two others who are now wanted as persons of interest, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.

On Jan. 21, police say they approached a man and woman in their 20s sitting on a park bench at Stuyvesant Cove Park on FDR Drive and East 20th Street, throwing the woman down to the ground by her hair and punching the man before stealing their money and cellphones.

Then on Tuesday, cops say the first man returned to the same location of the first robbery at the same time of day on West 12th Street and tried to steal a 28-year-old woman's purse. But she would not let go the suspect left empty-handed.

Residents in the area are now being extra careful.

"I think it's awful," a resident named Nancy told CBS2's Marc Liverman. "This is a very safe neighborhood. You're not safe anywhere."

"I thought it was really safe over here," said resident Kameka Dempsey. "I fear for my own safety because I'm walking around here by myself."

"I think they have lights on but I don't go at night," resident Jay Grossman said. "I think it would be more dangerous at night because you can't see what's around you."

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782), visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

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