FLUSHING — Police are warning residents in Flushing to be wary of pickpockets, who have been hitting several businesses in the area recently.
“Downtown is on fire with pickpockets,” Inspector Brian Maguire, commanding officer at the 109th Precinct, said last week.
In a 28-day period, 12 people had reported their personal belongings stolen by thieves, according to Maguire.
The incidents have largely been happening at Asian supermarkets in the downtown area, he said.
Typically, a thief will either snatch pocketbooks or other valuables out of a purse while a shopper is distracted.
Another tactic involves bumping into the victim while at the same time snatching a personal item, Maguire said.
