New York’s streets and newspapers were flooded with pictures of a mugger who has attacked at least two elderly women in the borough of Queens, including one who is 101 years old.
The other woman was an 85-year-old who uses a walker. Both were recovering from the violent robberies, which occurred a week ago in different apartment buildings but only reported over the weekend.
Rose Morat, 101, told the New York Post she wished she could have fought back: “Fifteen years ago, we would have had a tussle.”
Both women were robbed of less than $35, and Morat suffered a fractured cheekbone during the attack which was captured by cameras. The other was robbed of two rings including her wedding ring.
Police distributed pictures of a suspect taken from surveillance video.
“We are pulling out all the stops to find him,” said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. A police fraternal organization offered a $1,000 reward on Sunday, and callers have made some 1,000 calls to tip lines, some of which provided leads, Kelly said.
Surveillance video from one of the muggings in a Queens apartment building captured part of one attack and has been posted on several local media Web sites and shown to all Queens police officers and many in Brooklyn in recent days, police said.
Morat said she was headed to church when she met the man in her lobby. He offered to help her make her way out, but she declined.
“I know how to handle myself,” she said.
‘God saved my life’
As Morat maneuvered her walker through the building’s small vestibule, the man slowly put his bicycle against the wall, turned, and attacked her, the security video showed.
Her hat flew off, but she remained on her feet as the man removed her bag and felt her coat pockets.
Then, before making his escape, he punched her in the head again and shoved her to the ground.
Morat spent three days in the hospital.
The 85-year-old woman believed to be the mugger’s second victim, Solange Elizee, told police she was punched and pushed to the floor outside her apartment door by a man who had initially offered to help her get home.
“I like to help old people,” he said before turning violent, according to Elizee.
The man took her purse and got away with $32, police said.
“God saved my life,” she said.