NYPD cop on horseback chases alleged thief down Times Square street -- and it's all caught on video
TIMES SQUARE (WABC) -- A Times Square street turned into a scene out of the Wild West this weekend when an NYPD officer on horseback chased down a man who police say has just stolen several pairs of sunglasses from a street vendor.
But unlike a chase in a classic Western film, the wild ride was caught on the hero on horseback's bodycam.
The strange showdown went down about 6:50 p.m. Saturday when the suspect, Igancio Lewis, 34, allegedly stole several pars of sunglasses from the vendor at West 40th Street and Seventh Avenue.
When the victim confronted Lewis, police say the alleged thief brandished a broken piece of glass in a threatening manner.
After trying to lasso the suspect himself, the vendor flagged down the officer from the NYPD's Mounted Unit, who immediately cranked up the horsepower.
The bodycam video show Lewis staring at the officer and his horse before he runs away down the sidewalk. The cop on horseback gallops right behind him, first on the sidewalk and then into traffic before Lewis is arrested by two cops who stepped into action.
Lewis, who is homeless and once lived in California, was arrested and charged with menacing, robbery and criminal possession of a weapon, authorities said.
The sunglasses were also recovered.
"All of your NYPD officers are involved in crime reduction, even the four-legged ones," the NYPD tweeted on Tuesday.
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