Robber Tries to Snag Senior Woman's MetroCard on UWS, Steals her Purse Instead: Police

UPPER WEST SIDE, NY — Police are searching for a man who stole an elderly woman's purse in an attempt to grab her senior citizen MetroCard.

The robbery occurred Nov. 9 inside the subway station at West 59th Street and Columbus circle, police said. A 66-year-old woman was attempting to refill her MetroCard, when a man who appeared to be in his 40s attempted to grab the card as it came out of the machine, police said.

When the man tried to swipe the card, the woman fought back and a struggle ensued, police said. In the struggle the woman was able to get her MetroCard back, but the man made off with her purse, police said. The purse contained cash, the woman's keys and debit and credit cards, police said.

The woman's purse was later recovered by a Central Park employee near East 96th Street and 5th Avenue later that day, police said.

The robbery is still being investigated and no arrests have been made, police told Patch.

Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577. All tips are confidential.

Photo: Patch