Police Seek Public's Assistance to Solve Mugging

Police are seeking the public's assistance to solve a mugging that occurred in Tarrytown last week.

The attack occurred at 11:55 p.m. last Wednesday, Sept. 8, at Continental Manor located at 240 South Broadway.

The incident involved a 55-year-old woman who was coming home to her apartment. The woman got out of her car to drop some garbage off  near the rear of the complex, and when she went back to her vehicle to grab her pocket book, a masked man attacked her. 

"There was a male figure who came out from behind some nearby trees," Tarrytown police Sgt. Gene Buonanno said. "You can see him walk toward the woman and put his arm around her neck. This is all on video."

The woman turned and saw that the man was wearing a full-head gorilla mask. Her assailant choked her and demanded that she keep quiet to avoid being hurt. He then grabbed her pocketbook and fled.

"It's a pretty serious thing to happen in this village," Buonanno said. 

The man ran north and disappeared from sight. The victim at that point began yelling and screaming, which alerted a neighbor nearby. 

"We lucked out, when the victim started screaming and yelling, it drew the attention of one of the neighbors," Buonanno said. "That neighbor looked out the window and saw a black male walking along the foundation of the of the Tappan Landing Apartments, the brick ones."

The assailant had apparently ran north, crossed South Broadway, removed his mask and had backtracked, heading south toward the Stop and Shop while constantly looking behind him in a nervous manner. The suspect is described as a thin black male, between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-7, in his late teens or early 20s.

"We have a description and we have pulled up a few suspects," Buonanno said. 

Police are still looking for anyone who may have been in the area around midnight on the night of the Wednesday, Sept. 8. If you have more information, please contact the Tarrytown Police Department Detective Division at 914-631-1514.