‘I’ll cut you’
Police said that on Mon., March 30, at around 10 a.m. hours, a 35-year-old woman entered the Bank of America branch at 390 Sixth Ave., between W. Eighth St. and Waverly Place, when a stranger followed behind her. The man displayed a silver blunt instrument and stated that he would “cut” her and her baby if she did not withdraw money for him. The victim complied, withdrew $400 in cash and gave it to the man, who fled in an unknown direction. There were no injuries reported.
According to police, the suspect has been identified as Melvin Johnson, 49, who is about 6-feet-2 and 300 pounds with brown eyes.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hotline, at 800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Web site, www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting them to 274637(CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
Big Buddha heist
A woman approached police in traffic on Sat., March 28, with the dire news that a $39,984 gold-plated brass Buddha statue was taken from Nadeau: Furniture With a Soul, at 57 E. 11th St. The perpetrator fled into the urban jungle with the statue at about 1 p.m., on March 28 but didn’t make it very far.
Police found Kitty Rotolo, 51, on the northeast corner of E. 10 St. and University Place shortly afterward. He was in possession of the Buddha, police said, and was charged with felony grand larceny.
Drink-and-dash denied
The food and drink attracted a man to McKenna’s Pub on the afternoon of Fri., March 27. But after eating and drinking his fill, he had no money to pay, police said. He attempted to leave the establishment, at 250 W. 14th St., but was prevented from doing so. When a police officer responded at about 2 p.m., a crack pipe with residue was allegedly found on the man’s person.
Robert Gatell, 55, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and theft of service, both misdemeanors.
Meatpacking mauler
A witness flagged down police in the early morning hours of Sun., March 29, as a man was allegedly attacking a 28-year-old woman in the Meatpacking District. The attacker allegedly shoved the victim multiple times, causing her to fall and hit the ground. The man also took the women’s personal effects and flung them into the street.
When police arrived in front of 46 Gansevoort St. at about 2:30 a.m., the perpetrator fled on foot. But they soon caught and cuffed him, despite the efforts of the reportedly “highly intoxicated” suspect to resist arrest.
A police report did not state the nature of the altercation or relationship between the woman and her alleged attacker. She was taken to a hospital for treatment. Shawn Caughey, 24, was charged with misdemeanor assault.
Missing teen
Police said Shaun Tanner, 13, of 465 E. 10th St., Apartment 5H, is reported missing. He was last seen leaving his home on Fri., March 20, at around 10:30 a.m. He was wearing gray sweatpants, a maroon-colored polo shirt, a dark-blue military-style coat and black sneakers.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Hotline, at 800-577-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Web site, www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting them to 274637(CRIMES) and then entering TIP577.
What aled him?
A customer of Bayard’s Ale House was asked to leave the place for unknown reasons at about 12:30 a.m. on Sat., March 28. According to police, the man soon returned to the bar, at 533 Hudson St., and smashed the glass next to the door with his hand, which caused $500 in damages.
Brian Porch, 40, was charged with felony criminal mischief.
Threatens to shoot
On Tues., Mar. 24, a man approached an 18-year-old male teen waiting for a southbound train on the 4, 5, 6 platform at Brooklyn Bridge station at around 2 p.m., and threatened to shoot the teen if he didn’t hand over his cell phone, police said.
The teen obliged and the man boarded a train that pulled into the station. Police said that at no time did he show a weapon.
Police said the suspect is around 20, weighs 160 pounds and is 5-feet-6-inches tall. He was wearing a black hooded jacket and blue jeans.
An unhappy picture
A Brooklyn woman, 33, was dining in Soho on Fri., Mar. 27, and left her camera equipment, worth $3,014, on her car’s backseat. When she came back to grab the bag, she found her back passenger-side window smashed and her equipment gone, police said.
The woman parked her red 2009 Nissan S.U.V. in front of 3 Wooster St. at 11 p.m. and noticed the break-in just after midnight.
— Zach Williams, Dusica Sue Malesevic and Lincoln Anderson
