Charged in robberies
Police arrested two men on Wednesday and Thursday last week in connection with five armed robberies of three women and two men in their East Village, Gramercy and Chelsea homes between March 15 and Aug. 29. In two of the incidents, the women victims were forced to disrobe to prevent them from following the robbers.
Ismael Melendez, 38, of 422 E. 14th St., accompanied by a lawyer, surrendered to police at the Ninth Precinct on Sept. 3. The following day, detectives arrested Efrain Quintana, 27, a resident of W. 16th St. in Chelsea, in Springfield, Mass., after receiving a tip.
Police detected a pattern after two incidents on Aug. 29 when robbers followed a victim to an apartment on E. 11th St. between Avenues B and C at 1:30 a.m., and then went to W. 16th St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves. in Chelsea where they found another victim at 7:30 a.m.
The first robbery was at 2:30 a.m. on March 15 at an apartment on W. 16th St. between Sixth and Seventh Aves. The second incident was two days later shortly after midnight on W. 16th St. between Fifth and Sixth Aves. The third robbery was on April 7 around midnight on W. 15th St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves.
Police said the two suspects, one armed with a handgun, gained entrance to the apartments by following the victims home or by knocking on their doors. Photos, taken by a store camera when the suspects were buying sneakers and other items with stolen credit cards, were distributed shortly before the arrests, according to police.
Bank note
A man walked into the HSBC branch at 245 First Ave. near E. 15th St. at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, passed a note to a teller demanding money, and fled with $2,500 in cash, police said.
Stabbing
An unidentified assailant stabbed a 29-year-old man in the abdomen at 11:15 p.m. Sat. Sept. 9 in front of 491 Second Ave. near E. 28th St., police said. The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. Police said they did not know the motive for the stabbing.
Hate e-mail
A female employee of New York University reported on Sept. 4 that she received an anonymous e-mail with anti-Islamic statements on her office computer. Police are investigating the bias incident.
Shot in Chelsea
A man, 17, was shot in the back shortly before 10 a.m. Sun. Sept. 7 in front of 288 10th Ave. in the Elliott Chelsea Houses, according to police. The victim was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital in stable condition. Police said the victim was not cooperating with the investigation.
