New York woman steals money out of 7-year-old's hand, punches mom when she intervenes: police

Video showed a woman in New York stealing cash from a seven-year-old boy and punching the child’s mother in the face when she tried to intervene, before fleeing the scene. The New York Police Department is now searching for the suspect, whose face was captured on a security camera inside the store.

The incident occurred at Richard’s Fruits and Vegetables on Jerome Avenue in Mount Eden. The seven-year-old boy was standing by the front counter holding cash when the suspect approached, grabbed the money from his hand, and tried to leave. The boy's mother confronted the suspect and attempted to retrieve the money, but the suspect pushed her away and punched her in the face before escaping.

“It’s crazy,” said Erick Vidals, the owner of the store "It’s really, like, shocking."

Vidals noted that he had seen the suspect before and that she frequently asks for money on the street. He also mentioned that she was wearing a wig on the day of the attack, which took place on September 24.

"She's always outside asking for money. That's the only thing she does, but you know, that day, she just snatched the money from the little kid. It was insane," Vidals said, according to CBS News.

"We have heard like, down the block, around the corner, you know, there's always something happening," he added.

While the stolen cash amounted to only a few dollars, the incident highlights the ongoing concerns about violent crime in New York City. According to police, the mother required medical treatment at the scene due to the assault.

The NYPD is urging anyone with information about the suspect to contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).