Google Maps / xiang chen via Flickr (modified)
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Video circulating online shows an NYPD officer on horseback galloping down a stretch of West 72nd Street on Wednesday morning, chasing a fleeing suspect down the sidewalk and into the street while repeatedly shouting “stop running!”
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The pursuit happened at around 11:06 a.m. on West 72nd Street between Columbus and Amsterdam avenues.“Police were alerted [about] a grand larceny in progress in the vicinity of West 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue,” an NYPD spokesperson told ILTUWS. “It was reported to the police that an unidentified individual [stole a] purse and fled the location on foot. [The] individual was taken into custody without incident.”
The suspect, 44-year-old Felicia Field, was charged with grand larceny and false personation. Police said Field is homeless.
The footage was shared by NBC New York. The clip shows the mounted officer trailing the suspect down the block as pedestrians stop to watch. A bystander can be heard objecting to the chase, telling the officer, “you’re gonna hurt somebody, you’re gonna hurt this horse, what is wrong with you? Stop, get out of the street.”
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The officer eventually caught up to the suspect and placed her under arrest at the scene.
Another clip, from a different angle, was shared by the @newyorkers Instagram account.
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Lastly, the NYPD shared this body cam footage:
Whether on foot or on hooves, our officers are always ready.
After someone stole a purse near West 72nd Street, our Mounted officer & his horse, Kelly, kept on her trail.
Galloping down the street & with the help of a witness, they recovered the purse & apprehended the suspect. pic.twitter.com/A6qs7DyoK5
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 16, 2026
Mounted units are a familiar sight in Central Park and at large public events, but it is unusual to see one in active foot pursuit down a residential New York City street.
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