A 45‑year‑old repeat thief was taken into custody Thursday afternoon in Warsaw’s Praga‑Północ district after he assaulted and stole a handbag from an elderly woman on Brechta Street.
Arrest of 45‑Year‑Old Repeat Robber
Policemen from the Criminal Department of the northern Praga command quickly detained a 45‑year‑old man at noon on Brechta Street, Thursday, after he attacked an elderly woman and stole her handbag. He had already robbed a different senior a day earlier.
Breach of an Elderly Woman on Brechta Street
The attacker approached the woman from behind, forcefully yanked her purse so hard that she fell to the ground. She tried to defend herself, and the assault ended only when the man took his loot.
Police Operation and Surveillance Retrieval
A patrol unit arrived on scene, gathered the victim’s account, noting loss of wallet, cash, documents and apartment keys. The criminal division immediately accessed the surveillance footage that captured the incident and the thief’s appearance.
Identifying and Apprehending the Perpetrator
Knowledge of local criminal activity, combined with the video, let investigators pinpoint a 45‑year‑old resident of the district. He was arrested shortly thereafter, confessed to where he discarded the stolen goods, and all items—except 400 PLN in cash—were recovered.
Prior Day’s Robbery of an 89‑Year‑Old Resident
The suspect also admitted that the previous day, on Darwin Street, he stole a handbag from an 89‑year‑old woman that contained her phone and 300 PLN.
Charges and Possible Sentence
He was interrogated by the District Prosecutor’s Office in Warsaw‑Praga‑Północ, charged with robbery as a repeat offender and bold robbery in recidivism. The court temporarily detained him and the conviction could carry a sentence of 3 to 22.5 years imprisonment.
