Four teenage girls were arrested this week for allegedly assaulting a 71-year-old woman during a botched New Year’s Eve robbery at a Brooklyn subway station — while the fearless senior, who was on his way to church, fought back, police said.
The teens — ages 13, 14 and two 15-year-olds — were arrested Wednesday and Thursday and were each charged with theft, assault and harassment in the Jan. 1 evening attack on Linda Rosa, 71, authorities said.
One of the violent 15-year-olds was arrested back in September for allegedly assaulting a Queens officer to prevent the officer from arresting someone else, law enforcement sources said.
The others had not come into contact with the law before.
The latest crime occurred when one of the four girls tried to grab Rosa’s purse shortly after she got off the No. 3 train at Hoyt Street, she told The Post last week.
“And then me [said to myself]“Oh no, this isn’t going to happen today,” said Rosa, a retired MTA computer worker who lives in East New York.
Then another teen also tried to grab Rosa’s bag and said, “Oh, you want to fight?”
A violent scuffle ensued in which one of the girls punched Rosa in the face, leaving the glasses-wearing senior with a cut on her nose, the victim said.
Rosa struggled with the teens and eventually fell to the ground — where one of them allegedly stomped on her — but eventually got back up and grabbed two of them by the hair as she shouted for help, she recalled.
She was taken to Brooklyn Hospital Center for treatment, but said she was grateful she wasn’t injured more seriously.
Meanwhile, Rosa said she forgives the teens but doesn’t think they should be exempt from the consequences.
‘I forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing,” the loyal senior said last week.
“They don’t know what they did. They’re just teenagers acting stupid.”
“They didn’t know the consequences of their actions until this happened, and now they have to pay for it – because we all have to pay for our choices,” she added.
“Whatever choice you make, there is a consequence.”
