PUBLIC LEWDNESS:
SOUTHBOUND ON THE SUBWAY
(14th Precinct)
A man was reported “manipulating his private parts” while laying on the southbound 6 train platform at the 33rd Street station on August 18 at around 7:30 a.m., police said.
The NYPD released photos of the individual wanted for questioning, whom they describe as a black male in his 20s and between 5’6” and 5’9”.
GRAND LARCENY:
COSMO KLEPTO
(Midtown North and Midtown South Precincts)
Two Duane Reades in Midtown lost more than $2,000 each after a crook nabbed cosmetics at night, police said.
According to police, a thief lifted $2,337 in make-up products from the Duane Reade at 535 Fifth Avenue between East 44th and 45th Streets on July 15 at around 8:15 p.m.
Several weeks later, on August 2 at around 8:30 p.m., police received reports of someone who stole $2,294 worth of cosmetics from the Duane Reade at 22 West 48th Street.
Police released photos of the suspect, whom they describe as a Hispanic male, last seen wearing a blue and black shirt with white stripes, black jeans, and black sneakers.
ASSAULT:
LIGHTING PEOPLE ON FIRE
(Midtown North Precinct)
A 14-year-old was arrested for several hate crimes after lighting women and their clothing on fire, police said. The first incident reported occurred on September 10 at around 9 p.m., when a male suspect lit a woman’s blouse on fire outside Valentino, at 693 Fifth Avenue, between East 54th and 55th Streets, according to police. The female victim told police she was walking when she felt something warm on her left arm and saw her blouse was on fire. The woman, who was wearing “traditional Arab garments,” patted out the fire and saw a man near her with a lighter in his hand, police said. According to police, the man continued to walk eastbound on East 54th Street and the woman refused medical attention.
Police discovered several days after that there were four more incidents on the same day around the same time. Earlier that day at around 8 p.m., a male was with a group of others when he approached a female teenager and her mother and attempted to set the girl’s T-shirt on fire with a lighter, police said. The victim’s mother then chased off the group, according to police.
Later on September 10 at around 8:45 p.m., a group of two females and three males approached a female victim in front of 727 Fifth Avenue, between East 56th and 57th Streets, police said. One of the men came up behind the victim and ignited a lighter next to her leg, according to police. The woman, who looked unharmed, continued walking north on East 57th Street, as the group continued south on Fifth Avenue.
And roughly 15 minutes later at around 9 p.m., a group set a female victim’s skirt on fire when passing her at the intersection of East 54th Street and Fifth Avenue.
The last reported incident occurred on the same day at around 10 p.m., when a male suspect placed a flame near the arms of two females who were walking into the West 42nd Street-Bryant Park Sixth Avenue subway station, police said. The women saw a black male, around 6’ tall, with a thin build and white T-shirt, holding a black backpack and lighter, according to police. As the women entered a Queens-bound train, the man and the group he was with fled the area, police said.
The teenager apprehended was arrested on two counts of attempted assault, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of harassment, all charged as hate crimes, in connection with two of the incidents. Police are still looking for two more male suspects and three female suspects.
RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT:
STARTING SHOT
(Midtown North Precinct)
A man fired off a single round into the air at around 5:15 p.m. on August 27 near 448 West 50th Street, police said. There were no reports of injuries in the area, according to police.
Police released photos of the suspect, whom they describe as a white male, around 30, 5’10”, 190 pounds, with a light complexion and last seen wearing a tank top, black shorts, black and white sneakers, and a black baseball hat.
LOCAL POLICE CONTACTS
Midtown North Precinct
306 West 54th Street
212-767-8400
Midtown South Precinct
357 West 35th Street
212-239-9811
17th Precinct
167 East 51st Street
212-826-3211
19th Precinct
153 East 67th Street
212-452-0600
20th Precinct
120 West 82nd Street
212-580-6411
23rd Precinct
162 East 102nd Street
212-860-6411
24th Precinct
151 West 100th Street
212-678-1811
26th Precinct
520 West 126th Street
212-678-1311
Central Park Precinct
86th Street and Transverse Road
212-570-4820
