William E. Cleary Sr.
A New York Police Department Mounted Unit Officer handcuffs a suspected purse thief following a full gallop chase down a Manhattan Street in broad daylight. Photo courtesy of NBC New York
NEW YORK CITY (CNBNews)(April 21, 2026)— A dramatic scene played out on the Upper West Side on April 15 when an NYPD Mounted Unit officer, patrolling the neighborhood on horseback, chased down a robbery suspect in broad daylight.
According to police, the officer was riding Kelly, a retired racehorse now serving with the Mounted Unit, when a woman allegedly snatched a purse near West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue. NYPD body‑camera footage shows the officer urging Kelly into a full gallop as they pursued the fleeing suspect through the busy Manhattan corridor.
The NYPD later commented on the unusual takedown, saying, “Whether on foot or on hooves, our officers are always ready.”
With help from a witness who pointed out the direction of travel, the officer closed in, recovered the stolen purse, and took the alleged purse thief into custody.
According to the Toms River Patch, Kelly was rescued by the Standardbred Retirement Foundation from a “kill pen” in 2020, the foundation’s Executive Director, Judy Bokman, told Patch.
The Eyewitness News ABC7NY video below captures the chase and arrest as it unfolded.