Pickpocket Targets Elderly Victims In Supermarkets, Police Say

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — A pickpocket who targets elderly victims in east side supermarkets has been connected to two more thefts, police said.

All three thefts have occurred in Morton Williams supermarkets on First Avenue, police said. Two of the thefts occurred in a store located between East 71st and 72nd streets and the third occurred in a store located between East 56th and 57th streets.

The pickpocket appears to be targeting older victims, as all three of the people he has stolen from are over the age of 70, police said.

The first theft occurred on Nov. 22, in the Morton Williams located between East 71st and 72nd streets, police said. The suspect approached an 86-year-old man from behind and lifted the man's wallet from his coat pocket, police said. The pickpocket used credit cards in the wallet to make purchases at Starbucks, McDonald's and AMC movie theaters in upper Manhattan, police said.

The next theft occurred in the same Morton Williams on Dec. 19, police said. The man grabbed a 71-year-old woman's Coach wallet, which contained about $100 in cash and credit cards, police said.

The third theft occurred Jan. 31 in the supermarket on First Avenue between East 56th and 57th streets, police said. The man approached a 71-year-old woman and swiped her wallet from a purse in a shopping cart, police said. The wallet contained credit cards which were later used at Party City, Red Lobster, Marshalls, Best Buy and an AMC movie theaters in upper Manhattan and the Bronx, police said.

None of the victims were injured during any of the thefts, police said.

The suspect is described as a man standing about 5-foot-6 and weighing about 160 pounds with a bald head and medium complexion. The man was last seen wearing glasses, black jeans, a black t-shirt, and a black jacket with black and white sneakers, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

Photo by NYPD