New York City police were trying to track down a man accused of dragging a tourist on the sidewalk as he tried to steal her purse last week.
The 31-year-old woman from Russia and her friend were walking along West 15th Street in Chelsea on Saturday when the suspect grabbed the tourist and threw her into a scaffolding pole, according to police. The man then dragged the victim down the sidewalk in an attempt to take her purse.
Before he fled, he punched the woman's 33-year-old friend in the face.
The victims sustained severe laceration and bruising, police said. They were transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.
Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.
No arrests have been made and police released images of the suspect on Tuesday in hopes of identifying the man. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).
