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The 17-year-old reportedly approached a 61-year-old woman from behind in the parking lot of Dunkin' Donuts on West Merrick Road in Valley Stream on Monday, Aug. 31 at approximately 8:50 p.m., demanding that she hand over her belongings, Nassau County Police said.
The teen ripped the woman's pocketbook from her hands and fled the scene.
Responding officers caught up him at the intersection of Stringham Avenue and Hancock Place about 10 minutes later at 9 p.m., and apprehended him without incident.
The woman's purse was returned.
The juvenile was connected to four similar incidents, which all took place along West Merrick Road:
- Snatching a purse off the ground in the parking lot of City Auto Body at 906 West Merrick Rd., where a 20-year-old had placed it briefly, on Saturday, Aug. 8 at approximately 10:59 p.m.
- Ripping a purse off the shoulder of a 64-year-old at the intersection of West Merrick Road and Green Street on Wednesday, Aug. 19 at approximately 8:05 p.m.
- Pushing a 60-year-old woman, who suffered lacerations and bruises, to the ground, then stealing her pocketbook at the intersection of West Merrick Road and Ormonde Boulevard on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 9:45 p.m.
- Pulling a pocketbook off the shoulder of a 47-year-old woman in the parking lot of Burger King at 181 West Merrick Rd then fleeing the scene
The youth was charged with the felonies of third-degree robbery and fourth-degree grand larceny (for theft of property worth over $1,000), along with the misdemeanor of petit larceny.
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