PETIT LARCENY: Cobbly’s wobbly ticket to nowhere | This “Matthew” found his mark on Craigslist. A 48-year-old male reported to police that he had been bilked out of $200 by falling for a scam older than the Internet — perhaps even predating the telegraph. Both of those mediums of communication played their part in this torrid tale of trust gone to seed. In the morning of Fri., July 28, the abovementioned victim was still a fish waiting to be reeled in. The bait? A pair of tickets. The scam? A man calling himself “Matthew Cobbly” instructed the ill-fated concertgoer to send payment via Western Union, which he did. After verifying the money was picked up in San Antonio, TX (possibly deep in the heart of that town), a phone that had been used during the exchange was disconnected—and our victim has yet to see the tickets he was promised. No word on whether the music was rock, but it’s safe to say a certain someone is singing the blues. You want insult with that injury? The victim is a resident of the West 200 block of 20th St. — home to Chelsea’s own 10th Precinct, where any officer worth their salt would have surely peppered the victim with good advice about online scams, had he simply stopped by the station before going west (to Western Union, that is).
PETIT LARCENY: Drug store soap dope | Theft is a dirty business, even when the pilfered product is meant to make one fresh and clean. Thankfully, police have effectively dissolved the soap scum who entered the Rite Aid at 195 Eighth Ave. (at W. 20th St.) at around 6 p.m. on Sat., July 29, and proceeded to the aisle containing the kind of stuff you stock your washroom with. The 28-year-old male attempted to leave the store with $43 worth of body wash and a packet of soap worth $8. This brazen attempt to abscond with bubble-stuff was observed by an employee, who summoned the arresting officers.
HARASSMENT and LOST PROPERTY: Taxi driver double trouble | No reasonable person would blame these two yellow cab drivers for seeing red. The first one, a 40-year-old male, was confronted by a 20-year-old male passenger around 3:50 a.m. on Sun., July 30, after the PO’d perp got all huffy. Seems the passenger had differences with the driver regarding placement of a bike in the cab. The tense negotiations hit an impasse, and the passenger hit the driver in the face, with an open hand. The victim did not sustain any serious injury, and the passenger is now wanted (for, among other things, being a Class A, Type A jerk). The second unfortunate cabbie does not appear to be the victim of a crime, but he can certainly put in a claim for bad luck. The 30-year-old male parked his cab on Seventh Ave., between W. 28th & 29th Sts., around 3 a.m. on Sat., July 29, and went into a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat. About an hour later, upon his return to the cab, he noticed his wallet was missing. It contained several credit and debit cards, his New York State license, and around $50 in cash. The man told police he did not know if he dropped the wallet along the way or left it in the restaurant. By the time he was able to cancel the credit cards, he was told that no unauthorized charges had been made.
—Scott Stiffler
THE 10th PRECINCT: Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.). Commander: Capt. Paul Lanot. Main number: 212-741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-924-3377. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council (on summer hiatus until Sept. 27) meets on the last Wed. of the month, 7pm, at the 10th Precinct or other locations to be announced.
MIDTOWN SOUTH PRECINCT: Located at 357 W. 35th St. (btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). Inspector Russel J. Green, Commanding Officer. Call 212-239-9811. Community Affairs: 212-239-9846. Crime Prevention: 212-239-9846. Domestic Violence: 212-239-9863. Youth Officer: 212-239-9817. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-239-9836. Detective Squad: 212-239-9856. The Community Council (on summer hiatus until Sept. 21) meets on the third Thurs. of the month, 7pm, at the New Yorker Hotel (481 Eighth Ave., btw. W. 34th & 35th Sts.). Visit midtownsouthcc.org.
THE 13th PRECINCT: Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. Second & Third Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Brendan Timoney. Call 212-477-7411. Community Affairs: 212-477-7427. Crime Prevention: 212-477-7427. Domestic Violence: 212-477-3863. Youth Officer: 212-477-7411. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-477-4380. Detective Squad: 212-477-7444. The Community Council (on summer hiatus until Sept. 19) meets on the third Tues. of the month, 6:30pm, at the 13th Precinct.
CASH FOR GUNS | $100 cash will be given (no questions asked) for each handgun, assault weapon or sawed-off shotgun, up to a maximum payment of $300. Guns are accepted at any Police Precinct, PSA or Transit District.
