Not even this brutal, caught-on-video mugging — in which a struggling 83-year-old woman was dragged to the ground, and her purse wrenched away — is enough to get a suspect locked up these days under the state’s new bail reform law.
Exclusive video obtained by The Post allegedly shows 56-year-old Dana White, of Jamaica, Queens, walking up behind the victim in front of a building on Eldridge St. on the Lower East Side at about 5:45 a.m. Monday.
The victim is so petite compared to her attacker, that she stands only as high as his chest as he grabs at her scarf.
When the woman, who was walking with a cane, turns to escape his grasp, the thief puts his arms around her neck and drags her to the ground, the video shows.
The brave woman struggles on the pavement and waves her cane as she tries to fight off the fiend, who soon yanks her purse from around her neck and leaves her on the ground.
“She was a tough old woman who didn’t want to give it up,” a law enforcement source told The Post of the victim and her precious purse.
White was arrested shortly after the coldhearted attack and charged with robbery — but was released without bail by the new legislation, which restricts bail for most low-level crimes.
Cops were fuming after the release, the latest in a string of repeat offenders sent back onto the streets under the new law, which requires a robbery to have caused an injury before a judge is allowed to set bail.
The sturdy senior had declined medical assistance at the scene.
“This is a crime that was deemed non-violent by Governor Cuomo — what an asshole,” one frustrated cop told The Post in outrage.
“How would he like it if the victim was somebody he knew or was related to?”
White has at least 14 previous arrests, including at least 6 robbery charges and charges for criminal possession of a weapon, trespassing, and assault, sources said.
Police were so irritated by White’s release that they dug into the case — and found he was on parole for a previous burglary, sources said.
He was taken back into custody shortly after for the parole violation.