Four cops, who were instrumental in capturing a Queens man accused of committing eight burglaries Downtown, were honored as the “cops of the month” at the First Precinct Community Council meeting on Feb. 26.
“The cops of the month from the First Precinct did a tremendous job,” said Captain Brendan Timoney, a week before he was transferred to another precinct. “They’re actually working out there when most of us are asleep at home.”
Timoney said that the four — Sergeant Rashid Jones, Police Officers Andre Reyes, Jamie Brantmeyer and Tommy Viggiani — switched up their schedule to catch a man who was breaking into restaurants at night.
“They did it without a problem to protect you guys,” he said.
The man, 63, has 15 prior arrests, said Timoney, and is accused of doing a total of eight burglaries Downtown: five in the First Precinct, two in the Fifth and one in the Sixth.
On Sun., Jan. 25 the officers saw a man, who looked like the suspect, walking around Broadway. They followed him for 45 minutes as he walked up and down Broadway. The man then went to a restaurant on Houston St. and he started yanking on the door, said Timoney.
He was unsuccessful at first, but finally got the door open. The cops observed him doing a shot of liquor, grabbing $200 from the cash register and then, on his way out, he snatched a $7,000 bottle of wine, said Timoney.
After he came out, the man was arrested.
Each officer received a certificate and a mug.
