Police released a photo Thursday—as well as the name —of the man suspected of robbing a 96-year-old woman on a Harlem street in May.
Pascual Ballestero, 30, is wanted for driving up to the elderly woman on a moped and snatching her necklace while in the vicinity of West 127 Street and Eight Avenue at around 5:25 p.m. on Friday, May 24, police said.
The suspect tugged the necklace from the 96-year-old’s neck causing the elderly woman to fall to the ground, cops said.
The perp then sped off on the black moped, traveling eastbound on West 127 Street.
The woman sustained minor injuries, including a gash on her arm, and was brought to Harlem Hospital in stable condition.
The victim described her experience during an interview with NBC New York.
“When I saw him on this bike, I saw him, he looked at me, and I looked at him, and I thought he was going to cross the street,” she said. “Then he turned and looked at me again, and he started his bike up and then he came after me and he came so close and snatched the chain off my neck.”
So far, no arrests have been made, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial 888-57-PISTA). The public can also submit tips online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, or on X (formerly Twitter) @NYPDTips. All calls and messages are kept confidential.
