Fatal accident
Robin Gonzalez, 41, a Grand St. resident, was hit by a truck and killed at the corner of Clinton and Grand Sts. at 10:30 p.m. Thurs., March 19, police said. The driver of the 1995 Mack truck was making a turn from eastbound Grand St. to southbound Clinton St. when he struck the victim on Clinton St., police said. She was declared dead at the scene. There was no evidence of a crime but police are still investigating the incident.
Bank attempt
A man described as being between 6’3” and 6’6” and in his mid 30s walked into the Washington Mutual branch at 270 Broadway across from City Hall at 4:45 p.m. Tues., March 17 and pushed a note to the teller demanding money, police said. But the suspect, a black man weighing between 200 and 230 pounds and wearing a gray jacket, black shirt, gray hat and black backpack, became nervous and fled without taking any money, police said.
Attacked in bars
A Guttenberg, N.J. man, 27, sitting in Sweet & Vicious, a bar at 5 Spring St. between Bowery and Elizabeth St. was the victim of an unprovoked attack around 2 a.m. Mon., March 16 by a stranger who punched him in the face and broke his nose and a cheekbone, police said. The suspect fled and the victim was treated at Roosevelt Hospital.
A Queens man was attacked by a group of fellow patrons at Greenhouse Bar, 150 Varick St. near Vandam St. at 2:40 a.m. Tues., March 17, police said. One assailant hit the victim over the head with a bottle, according to police. No arrests have been made.
Knock-off bags raid
Police executed a raid on seven vans that served as mobile shops selling counterfeit handbags parked on Lafayette St. between Canal and Walker Sts. around 12:30 p.m. Thurs., March 19. Police arrested 21 suspects operating the vans and seized about 3,000 bags, counterfeit Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Dooney and Bourke and Dolce & Gabbana merchandize, along with $125,000 in cash in addition to the seven vans. One defendant locked himself and two customers in his van but opened it after two hours and surrendered. No one was hurt.
Varick St. hold-up
A man walked into Sell Cell, the AT&T cell phone store at 206 Varick St. at Houston St., at 3:30 p.m. Tues., March 3, waved a black handgun at the man and woman tending the store and demanded money, police said. The suspect, a black man about 6 ft. tall, took $316, a laptop computer and two cell phones and fled on foot.
Alaska House break-in
A burglar smashed the plate glass window of Alaska House, a gallery dedicated to the work of Alaska Natives at 109 Mercer St., around 6 a.m. Sun., March 22, climbed into the premises and made off with an undetermined number of walrus ivory bracelets and mukluks (fur boots). The thief was recorded on surveillance camera tape trying to steal the large flat screen television monitor visible through the front window, but he failed to dislodge it from the wall, according to Tracey Foster, executive director of the gallery.
— Albert Amateau
