NYPD

Search for Thief Who Cuts Clothes, Steals Wallets From Straphangers on L Train: NYPD

What to Know

  • A male suspect is cutting holes in straphangers' pants and stealing their property, the NYPD says
  • The seven robberies have occurred over a two-month span and have all happened on southbound L trains, according to police
  • Three of the seven victims were sleeping when their property was stolen and the suspect fled before they knew what had happened, police say

Police are looking for a thief who is stealing people’s property on southbound L trains by cutting holes in their pants, the NYPD says.

The thief has hit at least seven different times over the last two months, and at least three of the victims were sleeping when the suspect stole from them, police said.

"You've got to be mindful of your surroundings," Andrew Walton of Canarsie said. "You can't just fall asleep."

The first robbery happened Feb. 18 shortly after 2 a.m. when the suspect, using a sharp object, cut a hole in a straphanger’s pants while they were asleep on a southbound L train, police said. Once the hole was big enough, the suspect stole the victim’s cellphone and credit card without the victim noticing, according to authorities. 

"Some of these people really sleep on the train," Pamela Tucker said. "If I go into one car and it looks funny I just go into another one."

Six other similar robberies have happened since then, all of which appear to have happened between 2 and 5 a.m.

The suspect struck three times in the early-morning hours of April 2, stealing three victims’ wallets and running away before the victims realized they had been targeted, police said.

No injuries were reported in any of the cases. 

Police Wednesday morning released surveillance footage of a man running down the sidewalk wearing a Yankees hate and a leather jacket. 

Investigators described the 30-year-old-something suspect to be around 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing about 195 pounds.

Police are asking anybody with information to come forward.

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