Police chase The afternoon rush hour got an unexpected jolt on Thursday, July 12 when a routine traffic violation escalated into a vehicle and foot pursuit by the police. Brew Morley, 22, went through a stop sign with a stolen 1997 Dodge Caravan at the intersection of Barkley and West St., according to Dep. Inspector Anthony Bologna, commander of the First Precinct.
An officer on scooter tried to pull Morley over, when he sped off, heading against traffic down the north-bound side of West St. The police immediately shut down traffic in the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. Police blocked off traffic at West and W. Thames Sts., where Morley bumped another car trying to evade them, police said. Morley then hit the streets, making a break for the Bowling Green subway station, which was closed. Police ultimately caught him at Broadway and Beaver St. One traffic cop broke his right arm and another pulled his hamstring during the pursuit and they were taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital, Bologna said. Police found a screwdriver in a nearby field, and charged Morley with grand larceny, marijuana possession and reckless endangerment.
Assault arrest Police arrested Daniel Dietrich, 46, of Yonkers at about 2 a.m. Wed., July 11 and charged him with second degree assault for punching his girlfriend in the face and hitting her with bar stool outside 43 Park Pl. at Church St. during an argument. Dietrich was freed on $2,000 bail pending an Oct. 25 court appearance.
D train menace An off-duty police officer arrested Emmanuel Alers, 19 of Brooklyn, on a northbound D train at Grand St. on Sunday afternoon July 15 accusing Alers of menacing a fellow passenger with a knife during an argument. Alers flew into a rage, tore an advertising card from its place, hit his adversary with it and then pointed a knife at his throat, according to the district attorney’s office. The off-duty officer in the next car saw the incident, arrested Alers and turned him over to transit police at the Grand St. station, according to prosecutors. Alers is charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
Tribeca larceny A woman who works at Drom Fragrances, 144 Duane St. told police that someone had stolen the wallet out of her bag, which she had left at her desk when she went to lunch on July 13. The victim found out about the theft later that day when she went to dinner. Missing with the wallet were credit cards, a German driver’s license and $80 in cash.
East River body The body of an Asian man, about 43, was found floating in the East River off Pike St. near the Manhattan Bridge at 12:30 p.m. Mon. July 16, police said. The Medical Examiner’s office is investigating the cause of death.
Stolen tools The manager of a construction site at 46 Laight St. told police on July 13 that $12,070 worth of tools had been stolen. The front gate to the site had been pushed open and the padlock on a toolbox broken, police said.
Hudson Sq. burglary A burglar pried open the door of a fifth floor office at 100 Vandam St. on Friday morning July 13 and made off with a 40-inch plasma TV valued at $1,200, police said.
Phony messenger A man posing as a messenger distracted an employee at a store at 78 Leonard St. by asking for a glass of water on Thursday afternoon July 12, and stole two laptops with a total value of $4,000, police said. The employee discovered the theft after the man had left.
Left office with it An employee at the American Express office in the World Financial Center told police that a laptop computer valued at $1,800 was discovered missing on Monday morning July 9.
Auto theft
A New Jersey man who parked his Ford van on West St. between Harrison and N. Moore Sts. at 6 a.m. Thursday, July 12 found it was gone when he went back for it at 11 a.m., police said. The car had not been towed and police determined it had been stolen.
Bridge theft A visitor from Toronto was coming down the Vesey St. pedestrian bridge near the World Financial Center on Friday evening July 13 when a man behind her dipped into her backpack and lifted her wallet with $100 in U.S. money, $50 Canadian, credit cards and Ontario driver’s license. A witness told police he had seen the thief, a 5’10” black man with short-cropped hair weighing about 175 pounds, make off with the wallet.
Pen heist Burglars broke into the front door of the Mont Blanc shop at 118 Greene St., near Prince St. about 3 a.m. Thurs. July 12 and made off with 15 pens with a total value of $56,280 police said. The thieves broke the glass door, cut through a security gate and smashed display cases to get at the merchandise. Surveillance cameras recorded the image of three intruders and police collected samples of blood found near a smashed display case.
— Albert Amateau and Joe Orovic
