An uncle of Jordan Neely — the homeless man choked to death on the subway this month — was arrested near the Port Authority Bus Terminal for allegedly stealing purses from restaurants, police sources said Tuesday.
Christopher Neely, 44, had acted as something of a representative for the grieving family in the aftermath of his 30-year-old nephew’s May 1 death, frequently speaking out about the lightning-rod case.
But Neely was also allegedly wanted for a pattern of grand larceny, including the handbag thefts, according to the sources.
A member of the NYPD’s pickpocket team spotted Neely, of Hamilton Heights, at about 11 p.m. Monday near the Manhattan bus station.
He allegedly took off when the officer approached him — and fought back when cops caught up to him after a brief chase, the sources said.
Eventually, authorities cuffed him and charged him with criminal possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, bail jumping and unlawful possession of a weapon.
It was not clear when he would be arraigned.
Neely has been outspoken in his defense of his nephew, who died when former Marine Daniel Penny wrapped him in a chokehold during an outburst on an F train in Manhattan.
The city medical examiner ruled Jordan’s death a homicide. Penny, 24, has been charged with manslaughter, and is out on $100,000 bail.
In an exclusive interview Sunday, Neely told The Post he didn’t think Penny deserved a plea deal after the ex-Marine suggested he’d act the same way if he was put in a similar situation again.
“I want this to go to trial,” Christopher said in response to Penny’s statements to The Post .
“He has too much confidence in himself and has to be taught what he did was wrong.”
Neely tore into Mayor Eric Adams after Jordan’s death, saying Hizzoner hadn’t tried to contact the family and wasn’t welcome at his nephew’s funeral.
“I don’t have anything to say to Mayor Adams — I don’t know any mayor who parties and bull—ts like Adams,” he told The Post. “Nobody black that’s in the neighborhood really believes in him.”
He has also ripped the city for letting Jordan walk out of court-mandated mental health treatment before his death.
The caught-on-video confrontation between Penny and Jordan Neely — a former street performer with a lengthy arrest record and long history of mental illness — began after Jordan allegedly began yelling at other subway passengers on an F train in Lower Manhattan.
Penny’s attorneys have said he was trying to protect himself and other straphangers from a threatening vagrant.
But Jordan’s family — including Christopher — have said said Penny should be tried for murder.
Christopher Neely has also said authorities should charge two other men who helped Penny hold his nephew down.
“They have to be held accountable,” Christopher has said. “The Penny, the nickel and the dime should all be charged.”
Additional reporting by Larry Celona
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