Man charged with attacking, robbing elderly resident

NEW CITY – Police have charged a 51-year-old Tomkins Cove man with assaulting and robbing an elderly man in his own home.

Clarkstown Police said the 85-year-old resident answered a knock on his front door at 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, April 15 and when he opened it, Michael Mathsen forced his way in.

Once inside, he punched the resident in the face. They wound up on the floor with Mathsen forcibly removing the man’s wallet.

He fled from the home toward Eckerson Road.

Police broadcast a description of the suspect over the police radio and about a half hour later, he was apprehended by Clarkstown and Ramapo Police on East Eckerson Road. The wallet was recovered.

The victim was treated at Nyack Hospital.
Mathsen was charged with first-degree burglary, second-degree robbery, second-degree assault and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree.