Purse Snatchers Mace Woman in Flatiron District

Police are searching for a group of people who maced a woman and stole her purse. -Photo by NYPD

By Dan Gesslein 

Manhattan Voice

August 11, 2023

NEW YORK - Police are looking for a group of people who maced a woman in the face to steal her purse in the Flatiron District.

At around 10 pm on July 5, a 34-year-old woman was in the Flatiron District when a group of four people walked up behind her. In the vicinity of 6th Avenue and West 23rd Street, one of the members of the group ran up to the woman and sprayed her in the face with an unknown substance.

Another member of the group grabbed onto the victim’s purse and violently stripped it from her.

The group of purse snatchers then ran off. Cops said the crew were spotted running into the “R” and “W” train station at Broadway and West 23rd Street.

Cops said the victim’s arm was bruised in the attack but did not require medical attention.

Police released surveillance video from inside the subway station when the members allegedly fled the scene. The suspects are described as two men and two women with dark complexions. The suspects were seen wearing white and dark blue t-shirts and pants. 

One male was seen wearing a white tank top with a black du rag. One woman wore a dark hoodie with short blue jean shorts.

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.