CHELSEA BOMBING UPDATE | On Tues., Dec. 20, Ahmad Khan Rahimi, the suspect in September’s Chelsea and New Jersey terror bombings, pled “not guilty” to attempted murder charges in New Jersey stemming from a shootout with law enforcement officers that happened in the aftermath of the bombings and the manhunt that followed. On the weekend of Sept. 16, Rahimi planted bombs in two locations in New Jersey and two bombs in Chelsea. One of the devices in the latter incident, placed on W. 23rd St. (btw. Sixth & Seventh Aves.), detonated and resulted in over two dozen non-fatal injuries and significant damage to surrounding buildings. In the months following his arrest, Rahimi was indicted on eight federal terrorism charges in New York — to which he also pled not guilty at his arraignment — in addition to the New Jersey charges he pled not guilty to. Rahimi’s next New Jersey court date is set for Feb. 28; his trial in New York is set to begin in March, where he could face life in prison if convicted. Chelsea Now will continue to cover developments.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: Bowling for trouble | On Wed., Dec. 21 a crowd of rowdy pinheads at Lucky Strike (624 W. 42nd St., btw. 11th & 12th Aves.) started throwing punches instead of rocks, and caused some costly property damage in the process. The group — comprised of approximately eight to ten men and women — was apparently antagonistic to the bowling lane’s security guard, and an aggressive altercation ensued. At some point during the kerfuffle, one of the members of the group struck the glass front door of the establishment, breaking it, and causing $4,000 worth of damage. It’s at this point that the unknown mischief-maker fled the scene, along with the rest of their cohorts — save for one individual who was arrested for assaulting the security guard earlier. While they all skedaddled, camera evidence at the scene should be able to illuminate the identity of the culprit.
CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A FORGED INSTRUMENT: The high price of $100 | It seems one man’s unscrupulous quest to score a Big Gulp with phony funds wound up landing him in the Big House this weekend. At about 4:45am on Sat., Dec. 24, a man attempted to purchase items from a 7-Eleven (246 W. 23rd St., btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.) by using a $100 bill — which the teller determined to be a forgery, despite the customer’s claims to the contrary. When a police officer arrived to inspect the situation shortly thereafter, they found, upon further investigation, that the man had two active warrants as well. Not only was the 24-year-old Queens resident arrested, but the police also notified a secret service official about his bogus bill.
GRAND LARCENY: Cell on wheels | These days, it’s common for people to ignore the world around them with their heads buried in their phones — but this time, it cost one man more than missing out on appreciating a nice day. On Thurs., Dec. 22, a 32-year-old California man was walking near the northwest corner of W. 19th St. and 10th Ave. around 8:30pm, phone in hand, when all of a sudden, an unknown perp snatched the device out of his grasp. The thief then somehow hopped on a bike and fled the scene. The phone in question — a new, jet-black iPhone 7S Plus — was valued at $900; video evidence of the incident may be available from cameras at a nearby location.
ASSAULT: Crazy taxi two |On Sat., Dec. 24, a cab driver was cruising down Ninth Ave. at around 5am, when another taxi came and cut his vehicle off. The cut-off cabbie then followed the offending driver to a stop light at the northeast corner of W. 19th St. and Ninth Ave., and (for reasons not entirely clear) began recording him while stopped. Apparently, this didn’t sit well with the other driver, who proceeded to get out of his car, break the other man’s mirror, and then strike the side of the head with a closed fist. He then hopped in his car and fled southbound on Ninth Ave. The 51-year-old victim refused medical service after the incident, and was able to provide authorities his attacker’s plate numbers.
—SEAN EGAN
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 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. 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 meets on the third Thurs. of the month, 7pm, at the New Yorker Hotel (481 Eighth Ave., btw. W. 34th & W. 35th St.). 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 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.
