NYPD searching for suspect who shoved 68-year-old woman down church steps
Thief stole purse and drove off in victim's car
Police in New York City are searching for a suspect who was recorded on surveillance footage shoving a 68-year-old woman down the steps of her church before stealing her purse and making off in her car Sunday morning.
At approximately 8:20 a.m., an unidentified man between 18 and 25 with a medium build stalked the victim outside Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Jamaica, Queens, before pushing her down the stairs, according to authorities and footage of the incident obtained by the New York Post.
While the victim lies helplessly on the ground, footage shows the hooded suspect rummaging through her pockets and snatching her purse, which contained $300 in cash, credit cards, a cellphone, and car keys, according to police. He then drove off in the victim's 2006 Nissan Altima.
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The victim was subsequently hospitalized in critical condition, but her condition has since improved, according to Father Konstantinos Kalogridis, who visited her in the hospital.
"She’s a parishioner of our church who was coming to church to attend the service in the morning," Kalogridis told the New York Post. "I was in the office during the service but when I saw the footage of what happened, it was horrible."
"I gave her a blessing and gave her communion and I prayed for her, and we’re hoping she’ll come out strong and have a full recovery," he added. "And even [when] the nurses saw me visit her, they would say, 'Oh, she’s so sweet! So nice!'"
The pastor said parishioners were shocked by the criminal's brazen behavior against an elderly woman, especially since their part of the neighborhood doesn't typically see that kind of callous violence.
"I can’t believe — right on the top of the steps of the church — to do this to an elderly woman," Kalogridis said, adding that he hopes police apprehend and jail the suspect.
In the wake of the attack, NYPD has reportedly bolstered its presence around the Greek Orthodox church, which is observing the Lenten season until May 4.
"They’re going to be sending patrols here just to keep an eye on the area, so we have the support of the police 100 percent on this," Kalogridis said.
Police said the suspect had a "dark complexion," and was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt underneath a black jacket, black pants, black face mask and black Jordans with red trim.
Violent crime in New York City has been making headlines in recent years, though crime overall fell in the city last year, according to The New York Times.
Last month, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced she was sending 750 members of the National Guard and hundreds of state troopers into the city’s subway system in response to multiple violent crimes that received national attention, according to The Washington Post.
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
