Pitt St. Homicide
Police responding to a report of a man shot at 85 Pitt St., across from the Samuel Gompers Houses at 12:33 p.m., found the victim, Jonathon Alston, 23, shot in the head. The victim, a Brooklyn resident, was taken to Beth Israel Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The victim had been arrested previously for violating an order of protection secured by a neighborhood resident.
Deutsche Bank fire trial
The trial of three construction supervisors and the John Galt Corp., for manslaughter in the death of two firefighters in the 2007 fire in the Deutsche Bank building, 90 West St., ended Thurs., June 16. The jury was still out at press time on Tues., June 21. Jeffrey Melofchik, the safety manager of the demolition project, and Salvatore DePaola and Mitchell Alvo, foremen with the Galt Corp. are the individuals charged in connection with the deaths of firefighters Joseph Graffignino and Robert Beddia.
Dog run robber
A Lower Manhattan resident, 38, was waylaid by a robber with a gun as he was walking on Warren St. near the dog run at the northeast corner of West St. at 12:20 p.m. Wed., June 15, police said. The suspect flashed a small silver handgun, then tucked it under his jacket and demanded, “Gimme your money. Give it, give it, give it.” The victim handed over about $27, and the robber said, “Now walk,” and fled. The victim was unable to identify the robber from a photo array, police said.
Maiden La. robbers
Two women employed in a ninth floor office on Maiden La. were the victims of two robbers at 2:45 p.m. Mon., June 20, police said. One suspect entered the premises and asked if it was a doctor’s office. Told no, he went out to the elevator shortly before a second suspect walked in brandishing a handgun. The gunman told the victims to shut up, grabbed the handbag of one woman and tried to grab the bag of the other woman who tried to wrest it back, police said. The gunman pistol-whipped the victim about the head and fled in the elevator, which was being held by his accomplice. A man who witnessed the attack from the glass door of another office phoned police who responded in force to search the building with dogs while a police helicopter hovered above. There was no arrest.
Teen muggers in Soho
Three suspects between the ages of 15 and 17 grabbed the cell phone of a Brooklyn woman, 23, as she was walking south on Mercer St. towards Grand St. around 9:30 p.m. Thurs., June 16, police said. The victim had just taken her cell phone out to check on the location of a restaurant where she had an appointment. The suspects fled west on Grand St.
Flees with Rolex
A man entered the Aloha Rag Boutique in the lobby of 505 Greenwich St. near Spring St. at 3:15 p.m. Sat., June 18, lifted the lid of a glass display case, grabbed a $30,000 Rolex watch and fled to a gray car which drove off east on Spring St., police said.
Shoplifting haul
A man who entered the American Apparel shop at 121 Spring St. near Greene St. around 10:30 a.m. Mon. June 20 managed to make off with 15 pairs of shorts, 12 corduroy pencil cases and two schoolbags, with a total value of more than $1,000, police said.
Motorcycle stolen
A woman parked and locked her 2010 black Ducati motorcycle in front of her residence at 419 W. Broadway between Prince and Spring Sts. at 10 p.m. Thurs., June 16 and discovered at 11 a.m. the following day that it had been stolen, police said.
Music club larceny
A woman patron of the Canal Room, 285 W. Broadway near Canal St., told police she was standing in front of the stage listening to the band around 2 a.m. Sun., June 19 with her bag on the floor between her feet, when she felt a pull on the bag. It was gone among the crowd before she was able to see who took it. She lost a sweater, a cell phone and her wallet with $170 and her credit cards.
Subway snatch
A woman who boarded an uptown E train at Lispenard St. at 11:15 a.m. Sun., June 19 noticed two teenagers getting on with her. At the 23rd St. station, one of the suspects held the door open while the other grabbed her laptop and iPod and both fled as the door closed, police said.
Check forgery
Police arrested Robert Malvasio, 46, on Wed., June 8 and charged him with cashing forged checks totaling more than $3,000 at a check-cashing establishment on Fulton St. near Nassau St. on April 29 and 30. The complaint says Malvasio made out a stolen company check to himself for $1,750 and cashed it at the Fulton St. location shortly before midnight April 29. He returned with two more checks stolen from the same company and made out to himself for a total of about $1,700 on the following evening, according to the complaint.
Bridge antics
Emergency Service Unit police arrested James Stafford, 22, of Connecticut, and Brice Farrell, 25, of Maryland, as they were walking on the crossbars over the Williamsburg Bridge walkway and taking pictures at 3 a.m. Wed., June 15. A police helicopter on patrol spotted the suspects. Stafford and Farrell were charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass.
— Albert Amateau
