UES Women Targeted In Recent Purse Robbery Spree, Police Say

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — Police are looking for a group of men connected to three attempted purse robberies on the Upper East Side, New York City Police Department officials said.

According to the NYPD, the robbers are targeting women with purses in the evenings on Second Avenue and Third Avenue between East 70th Street and East 78th Street.

The first two incidents happened one after another on Jan. 19 around 8:20 p.m., police said.

First, on East 75th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue, multiple men approached a 32-year-old woman and grabbed her purse, which had money and credit cards inside, police said.

The same group then attempted to grab a 38-year-old woman's purse at the corner of Third Avenue and 78th Street, but she was able to hang onto her bag, authorities said.

The 38-year-old sustained minor injuries from the struggle, but refused medical attention, police said.

Then, on Jan.. 21 at 5:40 p.m., a group of men tried to take a 71-year-old woman's purse near the corner of Second Avenue and East 70 Street, police said.

The victim was able to hang onto her bag, and the men ran away, police said. She sustained minor injuries from the struggle but refused medical attention, police said.

Police said that anyone with information regarding these incidents can call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).

This is a developing story and may be updated. For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.