A man pretending to be in mourning violently robbed a funeral home director at machete-point in Harlem, authorities say.
According to investigators, the suspect showed up at Daniels Wilhelmina Funeral home on West 131st Street in the middle of the afternoon one February day. He had made an appointment to meet with the director, purportedly to discuss funeral arrangements, police said.
Once he got into the 66-year-old funeral director's office, cops say the suspect demanded money, punched the victim in the head a few times and brandished a machete before stealing his phone and wallet.
The suspect ran off afterward. The funeral director refused medical attention at the scene.
Police released surveillance footage of the suspect talking to the funeral director, as well as video of the suspect walking on the street outside (above).
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.
