Nassau Teen Arrested For String Of Purse Snatchings: Police

VALLEY STREAM, NY — A Nassau teenager was arrested and charged with stealing the purses of multiple women throughout the month of August, police said.

According to police, the 17-year-old boy from Freeport — who was not named, because he is a juvenile — approached a 61-year-old woman in the parking lot of a shopping center on West Merrick Road at 9:01 p.m. on Aug. 31 Police say he approached her from behind and demanded her belongings, and then grabbed her purse from her hands and fled.

Officers responded to the scene and searched the area. They found the teen at the intersection of Stringham Avenue and Hanckock Place in Valley Stream, and he was arrested without incident. Police say some of the proceeds were recovered.

Police say an investigation found that the teen was responsible for four similar robberies in Valley Stream over the month:

• Aug. 8 at 10:59 p.m. at 906 W. Merrick Road – police say he grabbed a purse from a 20-year-old woman and fled the scene.
• Aug. 19 at 8:05 p.m. on W. Merrick Road and Green Street – police say he ripped a purse from the shoulder of a 64-year-old woman and fled the scene.
• Aug. 23 at 9:45 p.m. on W. Merrick Road and Ormonde Boulevard – police say he hit a 60-year-old woman from behind, pushed her to the ground and then took her purse from her hands and fled the scene. The woman suffered cuts and bruises.
• Aug. 26 at 9:55 p.m in front of 181 W. Merrick Road — police say he pulled the purse from the shoulder of a 47-year-old woman and then fled the scene.

The teen is charged with two counts of third-degree robbery, two counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and petty larceny. He is scheduled to be arraigned later today.