Police: Group Likely Responsible for Purse-Snatching Spate

A group of thieves is likely responsible for the recent spate of purse-snatchings at East Side restaurants and bars, police said.

During the 30-day period through March 5, there were 26 reports of handbags and wallets being purloined from eateries and bars in the 17th Precinct, which covers the East Side from 30th to 59th streets. During the same time last year there were 13 reports, police officials said. A report can include cases where multiple bags were stolen in the same incident.

Generally, the thieves targeted a restaurant just once, but some were struck as many as four times, as was the case with Houston's on East 53rd Street and Capital Grille on East 42nd Street, law enforcement officials said. In the majority of cases, women's bags were snatched from the back of a chair, from under a chair, or from beside a patron; two men's wallets were stolen from on top of a bar.

Three family members and a friend were arrested after a purse was taken from a patron at Corner 51, an eatery and bar at 51st Street and Second Avenue, police officials said.

On March 3 at 9:45 p.m., Lisa Kohl, 43, hit a patron in the head and her daughter, Danielle Kohl, 25, kicked the victim, police officials said. They made off with a Louis Vuitton handbag, but police officers caught the women out front, the criminal complaint says. During the arrests, Lisa Kohl's 39-year-old sister, Dawn Kohl, and a friend, Jullisa Fernandez, 25, allegedly cursed at and tackled the officers.

Dawn Kohl and Fernandez pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Lisa Kohl and Danielle Kohl were charged with one count each of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and harassment. They are expected back in court April 21.

Despite the recent spike in bag thefts at East Side eateries, grand larceny and robbery reports are down in the precinct. There were 201 grand larcenies this year through Sunday, Police Department data show, versus 228 for the same period last year. Robbery reports have dropped to 16 this year from 27 last year. Overall, major crime has been down in the precinct, with 284 reports for the year, versus 338 last year.