Suspects wanted in Midtown Manhattan fur thefts

Police are looking for a group of men and women they say snagged luxury itemsfrom a handful of Midtown Manhattan stores.

The first incident occurred on Oct. 19, 2015 at about 1:10 p.m. inside Luxury Living at 153 Madison Ave. when a female suspect approached a store employee and distracted him while a male suspect took a fur blanket and placed it under his jacket, according to authorities. The two then walked out of the store.

A few days later on Oct. 23 at about 1:50 p.m. a female suspect approached an employee at The Fur Source of NY at 3 W. 57th St. and distracted her while a male suspect placed a fur coat under his coat, the pair then left the store, police said.

The pattern continued on Dec. 4 at about 4:30 p.m. when a female suspect once again distracted an employee at Luxury Living on Madison Avenue while her male counterpart removed a fur blanket and put it under his jacket, according to cops.

Two days later on Dec. 6 at about 6 p.m. two male suspects entered Authentic Pre-Owned at 461 W. Broadway, one of the men distracted an employee while the other took a crocodile skin jacket from a mannequin and left the store, police said.

The following week on Dec. 13 at about 7:10 p.m. a male suspect entered Saks Fifth Avenue at 8 East 50th St., according to cops, and took a mink cape and left without paying for it.

The final incident of the pattern took place on Dec. 18 at about 2 p.m. when a female suspect distracted an employee at Riflessi at 49 West 57th St. while a male suspect hid two fur coats under his jacket, police said. The two then walked out of the store.

Police have released surveillance video and photos from the Oct. 23 incident.

Authorities describe the first female suspect as a white woman, between 25 to 30 years old, 5 feet 6 inches tall, 170 pounds, and was last seen wearing a black hat, black scarf, black jack and gray sweater. The second woman is described to be around the same age and height, 140 pounds, and was last seen wearing a white headband, black coat, blue jeans and black boots.

The two male suspects are both described to be white men between 45 to 50 years and 6 feet to 6 feet 1 inch tall. The first man is 190 pounds and was last seen wearing a fur hat and a gray coat with fur collar. The second is between 175 to 180 pounds and was seen wearing a long three quarter black coat, blue jeans and tan colored shoes.

Anyone with information in regards to 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 or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.