Seek sexual predator
Police are looking for a man who sexually attacked two women at knifepoint in the elevators of their buildings on the Lower East Side. The suspect, described as Hispanic, 17 to 25 years old, between 5 feet 8 inches and 5 feet 10 inches, with a dark complexion and heavyset, followed his victims into an elevator in the LaGuardia Houses on Clinton St., forced them out at knifepoint and attacked them in stairwells, police said. The suspect attacked his first victim, age 19, at 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 18. His most recent victim, 17, fought off the attack at 10 p.m. Thurs., April 14.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477) or on-line at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting to 274637 (crimes) and entering TIP577.
Bank-rob spree
Police arrested John Amrani, 50, last week for a series of robberies at bank branches on the West Side.
On March 29, the suspect walked into the Chase branch at 111 Eighth Ave. near 15th St. around 11 a.m., passed a note to a teller saying, “This is a robbery, I have a gun. Don’t be stupid. Do not press no alarms. From the bottom, I need 50 and 100 first. Then close the draw. No dying pack.” When the teller told him she had no 100’s, he replied, “From the bottom. 50’s and 20’s.” She surrendered $6,850 and he fled, according to the complaint filed with the Manhattan district attorney.
Amrani returned to the same branch Sat., April 9, at 12:40 p.m. and passed a demand note to another teller who said she couldn’t read it. The suspect said, “Come on, come on, come on,” but he pulled the note back and fled empty-handed after she repeated that she couldn’t read the note, according to the complaint.
At 1:25 p.m. the same day, Amrani switched to the Chase branch at 233 Third Ave. at 19th St., and passed a similar demand note to yet another teller. When she put $75 in small bills on her counter, the suspect knocked on her window and gestured for her to hand him the money. He fled with the $75.
On April 11 Amrani walked into the Valley National Bank at 159 Eighth Ave. at 18th St., and passed a teller a note similar to the other demands. When she gave him an unspecified amount of money, he demanded, “Everything, everything.” He fled with $2,321.
Police said Amrani admitted the robberies to detectives.
Student sets fire
New York University’s Brittany Hall students residence, at 55 E. 10th St., was evacuated for a few hours Saturday night April 16 after a fire, set by a student, broke out at 9 p.m. on the eighth floor. The student, who was said to appear suicidal, inflicted several lacerations, which were not fatal, on himself. He was taken to the hospital by an Emergency Medical Service team, a Fire Department spokesperson said. John Beckman, N.Y.U. spokesperson, declined to identify the student and said the room sustained minimal damage.
Standard blaze
An electrical fire in the basement of The Standard hotel, which straddles the High Line at Washington and W. 13th Sts., around 2:30 p.m. Sat., April 16, forced evacuation of the building, according to a Fire Department spokesperson. The fire was declared under control an hour and a half later.
Beaten, robbed
Police arrested one of two suspects charged with following a victim walking in front of 125 Christopher St. near Hudson St. around 8 p.m. Fri., April 15, beating him to the ground and robbing him. A witness told police that Marcus Wright, 26, took something out of the victim’s pants pocket as he lay semiconscious on the sidewalk. Wright was charged with robbery and felony assault. The accomplice escaped.
Stab suspect at large
Police are still seeking a suspect wanted in the Sun., March 27, stabbing of a victim on W. Fourth near Charles St. The victim was taken to Bellevue in serious condition with several stab wounds in his torso, police said. The suspect, known as Francisco, was described as between 20 and 23 years old, Hispanic, about 5 feet tall, with black hair and an eagle tattoo on his hand. Anyone with information should phone Crime Stoppers, 800-577-TIPS (8477) or report it online at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting to 274637 (crimes) and entering TIP577.
Razor robber nicked
Police arrested Adrian Wynn, 42, for stealing four packs of Gillette Fusion razor-blade cartridges valued at $66 from the Rite Aid at 495 Broadway near Broome St. on Friday morning April 15. The suspect was charged with robbery because he punched a security guard and another employee who tried to stop him from walking out of the store without paying for the shaving products.
False ID
Police arrested Jun Ho-Young, 26, around 1:20 p.m. Fri., April 15, when he tried to open an account at the Bank of America branch at 224 W. Fourth St. with ID that did not belong to him. Police said they could not reach anyone whose name was in the ID. Nevertheless, the suspect was charged with possession of a forged document.
Soho shoplifters
Two men walked into the American Apparel store at 121 Spring St. at 6 p.m. Mon., April 11, and walked out with 18 men’s shirts with a total value of $1,068, police said. At closing time, employees discovered that 17 sweaters and 13 flannel shirts had also been stolen that day.
Employees at Glory Chen boutique at 121 Greene St. told police that an unknown suspect walked off without paying for four handbags valued at $2,813 sometime before 4:30 pm. Thurs., April 14.
Wallet thief bagged
Police arrested Ian O’Leary, 23, around 1:05 a.m. Sat., April 16, in Three Sheets Saloon, 134 W. Third St., after a bouncer told them he saw the suspect take the wallets out of two handbags that two women patrons had hung on a coat hook. The suspect was in possession of articles stolen from the bags when he was arrested, police said.
Slashed tires
A cab driver stopped when a man hailed him at the northwest corner of Bleecker and MacDougal Sts. around 2:40 a.m. Wed., April 13, but he refused to take the man, who held an open penknife in his hand, police said. Enraged at the refusal, Timothy McGoldrick, 49, slashed the cab’s left front tire and was charged with criminal mischief.
The old stain scam
A visitor from Denmark told police that she was in Soho on Sunday afternoon April 17 when a stranger told her she had a stain on her jacket and led her to the outdoor cafe at Antique Garage, 41 Mercer St. near Broome St., to help her clean up. Before she knew it, the stranger fled with her bag that she had just put on a chair. She lost her Danish credit cards and driver’s license, a camera, her hotel card key and $150 in U.S. currency.
Really likes Leicas
Police arrested John White, 19, last week and charged him with stealing a $28,000 Leica camera from a shop at 41 W. 22nd St. near Sixth Ave. White walked into the store at 3 p.m. on Mon., April 11, asked to see the camera and asked the salesman several questions before running out with it, police said. On March 2, he pulled the same trick at a camera store on Fifth Ave. at 31st St. and stole a Leica valued at $6,000, according to a complaint filed with the Manhattan district attorney. White began his collection of Leicas on Dec. 1, 2010, by stealing a $3,350 camera from a store at 22 W. 22nd St. according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Teen targeter
Police arrested Devante Scott, 17, and charged him with robbing seven teenage male victims between the ages of 15 and 18 in Manhattan subways in the East Village, Lower Manhattan and Harlem and on the Upper West Side in the past eight weeks. Scott confronted the victims with a knife or a handgun before stealing their cell phones and iPods, police said.
Tunnel crash
Five people were injured in a four-car accident in the Holland Tunnel north tube near the New Jersey side around 1 p.m. Sat., April 16. The victims were treated at the Jersey City Medical Center. The north tube was closed until 2:45 a.m.
Find missing boy
Alexander Vorlicky, 14, who was reported missing from his home at 297 E. 10th St. on April 10, was found and returned home Wed., April 14, police said.
Albert Amateau
