Man Snatched 3 Women's Purses In An Hour In Hoboken: Police

HOBOKEN, NJ — A man has been arrested for snatching three women's purses in an hour last month, Hoboken police said Wednesday.

Androkle Batistasoriano, 23, of Hoboken, was charged with two robberies and two thefts, police said.

Police said that on Nov. 7, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Hoboken Police responded to the 50 block of Garden Street, where a victim reported her purse had been stolen after she dropped it.

Then, at approximately 12:30 a.m., police responded to First and Hudson streets, the same block as the police station. A victim said that a man had run up behind her and grabbed her purse.

The man left and stole a scooter on the campus of the Stevens Institute of Technology, police said. The campus is four blocks north of the purse-snatching site.

Around 10 minutes later, police said, a woman told them that a man had grabbed her purse on the 900 block of Garden Street. The description of the man matched the previous descriptions.

No one was injured during the thefts, police said.

An investigation led by Det. Jesse Castellano and Police Officer Jason Montalvo, with assistance from other Detective Bureau personnel, identified Batistasoriano as the suspect, police said.

On Nov. 25, he was found and arrested on the 800 block of Hudson Street, police said.

He was taken to Hoboken Police Headquarters and charged with two counts of robbery and two counts of theft, police said. Then he was taken to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.

“The hard work and persistence of our dedicated team led to a swift arrest and helped take a dangerous individual, targeting women late at night, off the streets,” said Chief Steven Aguiar. “I am grateful for the teamwork that helped to close this case quickly, and safely.”

The Hoboken Police Department’s Detective Bureau thanked residents and businesses who provided surveillance footage, as well as the Union City Police Department, Jersey City Police Department, and Stevens Institute of Technology Police for their assistance.

Those with additional information or video have been asked to contact CastellanoJ@hobokenpdnj.gov and MontalvoJ@hobokenpdnj.gov or call 201-420-2100 X 3122.