Defendant and the codefendant were observed by officers in the act of picking the complainant's pocket. After a short chase, both men were apprehended and the complainant's property recovered from the codefendant. Accordingly, we reject defendant's claims on appeal that his guilt was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt (People v Thompson, 72 N.Y.2d 410, 413), and that the police lacked probable cause to arrest him (People v Lypka, 36 N.Y.2d 210). Nor did the trial court commit error in its Sandoval ruling by allowing cross-examination of many prior crimes involving dishonesty. "It is well settled that a defendant cannot shield himself from impeachment on the basis of the very frequency of his offenses, or his tendency to specialize in his criminal endeavors" (People v Brown, 161 A.D.2d 458, lv denied 76 N.Y.2d 938).
We have considered defendant's remaining contentions and find them to be without merit.
Concur — Milonas, J.P., Rosenberger, Ellerin and Rubin, JJ.