Four thieves walked into the Chanel store on Madison Avenue and bolted with 11 handbags that retail for a combined $150,000, sources told The Post on Wednesday.
“They were gone, man. They were running so fast. They had so many in their hands, you couldn’t get a glimpse of what sort of bags they were,” said a security guard at the nearby Kwiat jewelry store.
The men entered the Upper East Side location between East 64th and 65th streets around 1:15 p.m. Tuesday and snatched the purses, which range in price from $2,000 to $45,000, according to police sources.
After shoving a security guard out of the way, they ran outside and down the street before hopping into a four-door red sedan and making their getaway up Madison Avenue.
The high-end items that were stolen included a large “2.55” alligator bag worth $45,000, which was one of the most expensive items in the shop.
In total, the bandits made off with $154,900 in bags, sources said.
The suspects are all male, black, and range between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-9, the sources said.
Chanel customers said Wednesday they were stunned by the boldness of the theft.
“It is shocking, because they have so much security,” said Judith Agisim, as she walked outside. “I’m surprised the guards didn’t catch them. They don’t keep the door locked. Most stores here keep the doors locked now. It’s very surprising.”
Chris Lynch, a 49-year-old Brooklyn resident who works as a personal chef in the neighborhood, says he thinks the handbag heist is a sign of the times.
“There’s a lot of brazen stuff that seems to be happening lately that hasn’t happened either before or in a long time,” he said.
“It’s kooky what’s going on. I’m a native New Yorker, so you definitely notice things. I mean, they have guards at the door — how’d they even get out of the door?
“I mean, there’s a homeless guy right here at the corner. For years, there was never anybody around asking for money. Now it’s everywhere you go.”
Additional reporting by Ben Feuerherd