Bike Riding Purse Snatcher Attacks 2 Women

Police are searching for this man in connection with a series of purse snatchings by a man on a bike. -Photo by NYPD

By Dan Gesslein 

Manhattan Voice

August 4, 2023

MANHATTAN - Cops are searching for a bike riding purse snatcher who has wounded two women in robberies. The latest attack occurred in Murray Hill. 

At around 2:45 pm on July 25, a 39-year-old was walking in the vicinity of 1st Avenue and East 40th Street. A man on a bicycle rode up alongside her and grabbed onto her purse. 

As the thief pulled the bag the woman was thrown to the ground.

With the purse in hand the thief rode off northbound on 1st Avenue.

Cops said the same suspect is responsible for an earlier attack near Stuyvesant Square.

At around 1:45 pm on July 15, a 42-year-old woman was walking near 231 2nd Avenue. A man on a bicycle rode up to the woman, grabbed her purse and threw her to the ground.

The suspect rode off northbound on 2nd Avenue. 

Police released a series of photos from various surveillance videos. The suspect is described as a male with a light complexion and white hair. In one video he was seen riding his bike shirtless with blue shorts. 

In another video the suspect was seen parking his bike in front of a building waiting. He was seen wearing a dark t-shirt, shorts, baseball cap and sneakers. The t-shirt had the letters “JP” on the right sleeve.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on Twitter @NYPDTips. 

All calls are strictly confidential.