Elderly Man Fends Off Burglars in NYC

An 87-year-old man shared a lighthearted account of his encounter with two would-be thieves in New York City. Larry Schwartz was walking with friends after leaving a senior center when he encountered a man who claimed to be visiting from Dubai.

Schwartz noticed that this individual was sporting a costly Rolex watch, valued at about $40,000. “I twisted her pretty good, including her body… so I did pretty well with her,” he said, recounting the event.

Joanna Kuccia, a companion, remembered Schwartz congratulating the stranger, saying, “Well, welcome to New York.” The man then inquired about directions to a Walmart, which Schwartz advised against since there isn’t one in Manhattan.

While Schwartz approached the woman’s vehicle, she seemingly attempted to flaunt a gold watch with diamonds on her wrist. Schwartz quickly recognized it as a counterfeit. “It’s for someone who’s stupid or someone who doesn’t know about Rolex,” he remarked, clearly aware something was amiss.

When the woman tried to take his watch, Schwartz unexpectedly resisted, grabbing her arm and forcefully pushing her against the car door multiple times. “Her body hit the door,” he added, describing his determination to not let the man take him down during the struggle.

Fortunately, the video footage showed that the couple ultimately fled empty-handed. Schwartz seemed to take pride in defending himself, saying, “I twisted her quite a bit, including her body.” He noted that his experience from amateur boxing helped him in this confrontation. “I’m not average, I know that,” he added calmly.

Schwartz confidently stated, “They chose the wrong person.” He described how individuals in his age group aren’t typically engaged in daily exercise the way he is—he’s been staying active since he was 14.

As of now, police are on the lookout for the two suspects, described as a woman in her 30s and a man in his 40s.