3 New Cases Added to Purse Snatching Crew that has Struck over 4 Month Period
By Staff Reporter
Queens Voice
February 11, 2026
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QUEENS, NY - Add three more cases to the growing list of purse snatchings a pair of robbers are believed to be responisble for throughout Queens during a 4-month period, the NYPD said.
According to police, detectives have now linked three additional incidents to a broader pattern involving suspects riding a motorized scooter and targeting pedestrians. The incidents span from late October 2025 through mid-January 2026 and follow a consistent method: approaching victims from behind, forcibly removing purses or bags, and fleeing the scene on a scooter.
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Authorities say the suspects are believed to be connected to at least 22 incidents total.
Investigators recently added three new cases to the ongoing motorized scooter robbery pattern in Queens.
On Thursday, January 8, 2026, at approximately 7:00 p.m., a 38-year-old woman was approached by two unidentified individuals on a motorized scooter in front of 39-16 Prince Street.
Police say the suspects snatched her purse and fled in an unknown direction. The victim was not injured. However, she later discovered unauthorized charges on her bank account, a detail consistent with previous incidents in this pattern.
On Tuesday, January 13, 2026, around 4:40 p.m., a 57-year-old man was walking near 154 Street and 35 Avenue when two individuals approached him from behind on a scooter.
The suspects forcibly removed his shoulder bag and fled southbound on 154 Street. The stolen property is valued at approximately $630. No injuries were reported.
Police obtained media of the two sought individuals from this incident.The photos from a nearby surveillance camera gave cops an image to go with the crimes.
Later that same day, at approximately 5:40 p.m., a 33-year-old woman was approached from behind near Sanford Avenue and Kissena Boulevard.
In this case, police say the suspect struck the victim with the motorized scooter, causing her to fall before forcibly removing her purse. The suspect then fled southbound on Kissena Boulevard.
The stolen property is valued at approximately $5,500. The victim sustained minor injuries but was not hospitalized.
The NYPD reports that between October 24, 2025, and January 8, 2026, there were 19 previously documented purse snatchings in Flushing involving two individuals on a motorized scooter.
In multiple cases, victims later reported fraudulent activity on their bank accounts. During one incident on December 12, 2025, a 46-year-old woman suffered a minor hand injury and was transported to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens in stable condition.
Investigators believe the suspects consistently approach victims from behind. They target purses and shoulder bags. The crooks use a motorized scooter for quick escape and flee southbound corridors in the 109 Precinct. Later on they exploit stolen financial cards shortly after the theft.
Authorities are urging residents in Flushing and surrounding Queens neighborhoods to remain alert, especially during evening hours.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, on X @NYPDTips.
All calls are confidential.
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