A Manhattan thug first tracked an elderly man, 92, from the streets into his West 18th Street home, then attacked him, wielding a pair of scissors and shoving him to the floor.
Then he stole his Bible and fled, The New York Post reported.
“I believed he was getting ready to stab me,” Ricardo Velez, the victim, told The Post. “I poked him in the stomach with my umbrella, and he dropped the scissors. Then I dropped my bag when he pushed me.”
Mr. Velez fell to the floor in pain, and the suspect made off with his bag, his bifocals — and his leather-bound Bible, The Post said.
“I’ve had that Bible at least 20 years,” Mr. Velez told The Post. “I don’t care about the bag. [The Bible] meant so much to me. I can’t replace it. I paid $25 for it 25 years ago. I won’t be able to find another like it.”
Police said a neighbor responded to the scene and helped Mr. Velez to his feet. Authorities are still seeking the identity of the suspect, described in his ’30s, The Post reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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