The violent bandit behind a recent robbery pattern in Fresh Meadows has been linked to a third caper in Flushing, police announced.
According to police, at 10:25 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2018, a 41-year-old woman exited the Q65 bus and was walking home on Lithonia Avenue when she was approached from behind by an unknown man. The man proceeded to push the woman to the ground and took her Michael Kors purse, which contained a Michael Kors wallet, $750 in cash, a necklace, headphones and a cellphone charger.
The suspect then fled the scene. The victim suffered ear pain, however she refused medical attention at the scene.
Police describe the suspect as a black man with star tattoos on his left hand.
Cops said the perpetrator is believed to be connected to two Fresh Meadows robberies that occurred in December 2018.
At 12:40 a.m. on Dec. 15, it is believed that the same suspect followed a 34-year-old woman who exited the Q65 bus and was walking in the vicinity of 162nd Street and 75th Avenue. The suspect then threw the woman down to the ground and took the victim’s purse before fleeing northbound on 162nd Street.
The second incident, authorities say, took place at 10:59 p.m. on Dec. 23. That evening, the suspect followed a 62-year-old woman, who exited the Q65 bus, in the vicinity of 162nd Street and 73rd Avenue. The crook then threw the victim to the ground and took off with her purse.
Neither victim was injured during the robberies, police say. After the second incident, the suspect was last seen wearing a winter jacket with a fur hood, black pants with a white stripe and white sneakers.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
