L.E.S. stabbing
Marcelino Luciano, 81, was stabbed to death on Sunday afternoon Oct. 26 in his apartment at 45 Rutgers St. in the LaGuardia Houses, police said. The victim was found on the floor shortly after 2 p.m., tied up with three puncture wounds in his abdomen, and was pronounced dead at the scene. A friend, Eduardo Cruz, said he and the victim were selling loose cigarettes, bought tax-free from Indian reservations, from their apartments, according to a Daily News report.
Killed by truck A customer-operations agent for Con Edison was killed in the presence of his co-workers around 1:30 p.m. Fri., Oct. 24, when a tractor-trailer struck him in front of 106 Bowery, between Hester and Grand Sts., police said. The victim, James Dong, 60, of Queens, was about to enter a company car when the truck hit him, according to a Con Edison spokesperson. The driver was not aware of the accident and was stopped on a highway in Brooklyn. He was not charged.
Picks bags in bar Police arrested Nathaniel Green, 44, of Queens, around 1 a.m. Sun., Oct. 19, and charged him with larceny after a bartender at Dempsey’s, 61 Second Ave. at E. Second St., reported that he saw him dipping into a female patron’s bag. Police said they found three other wallets and an iPod belonging to other patrons on the suspect. He was indicted and pleaded not guilty on Tues., Oct. 28, according to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Green was being held pending a Dec. 23 court appearance
Shoe-shop grab A woman buying boots at DSW on E. 14th St. between Broadway and University Place at 4 p.m. Thurs., Oct. 9, left her bag at her feet while trying on a pair and discovered that someone had taken the bag, police said. She canceled her credit cards that day, but not before the thief had charged $1,200 on it.
14th St. shoplift A security officer at Filenes’s Basement, 40 E. 14th St., saw a woman stuffing clothing into a black suitcase at 10 p.m. Sat., Oct. 11, and walking out 25 minutes later without paying, police said. The security officer stopped Toquana Baker, 28, and charged her with grand larceny for stealing the clothing and the suitcase with a total value of $1,896, police said.
Happy if get Gilmore Police are looking for a man they identified as Harold Gilmore, 38, for several bank robberies, including one shortly after 9:30 a.m. Tues., Oct. 7, at a Chase branch on First Ave. at E. 15th St. The suspect is believed to have robbed another bank on Third Ave. at 68th St. around 1:30 p.m. the same day. His most recent robbery was believed to be on Wednesday afternoon Oct. 22 when he demanded cash from a teller at a Wachovia branch on Broadway at 57th St., police said.
Beemer bumper bummer A New Jersey man parked his 2002 BMW in front of 213 W. 13th St. around 7:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 15, and returned the next morning at 11 a.m. to discover that someone had tried to steal the car’s bumper, police said.
Bar burglar Police arrested Otto Thompson, 52, and charged him with entering Players Theater bar, at 115 MacDougal St., after it was closed at 1:10 a.m. Sat., Oct. 25, and trying to break into a locked office after he gained access through a crawl space. Thompson was in possession of burglar tools when he was arrested, police said.
Whoa, Willy! A patron of Wicked Willy’s, at 149 Bleecker St., opened a tab at the bar on Thursday night Oct. 9, and when he went to pay up, the bartender said that someone else had closed the tab. The bartender said he had given that other person the victim’s driver’s license and Visa card, police said.
Locker break-in A Village man went to the Equinox gym at 7:30 p.m. Sat., Oct. 18, and returned to his locker an hour later to find the lock broken and on the floor and that his wallet and credit cards had been stolen.
D.W.I. Police stopped a driver at the intersection of Bleecker and Thompson Sts. at 4:20 a.m. Sat., Oct. 18, after the suspect drove onto the sidewalk at the northeast corner. Stephen Koppel, 28, was charged with driving while intoxicated after he registered .11 in a field alcohol breath test. The legal threshold is .08.
— Albert Amateau
