Grand Larceny: Pickpockets lurk as fireworks fly
Maybe they should stick to watching it on TV. Four people, at four different locations, had their belongings liberated from them — as they gazed skyward to enjoy the Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration. The first incident, at the corner of 12th Ave. and 42nd St., cost the 30-year-old Lebanon, OH resident $150 in cash as well as the loss of two credit cards and his driver’s license. The victim told police that while he was watching the fireworks, he noticed his wallet was missing and could not pinpoint the exact point at which it was taken.
A similar lack of vigilance on the part of a 16-year-old visitor from Columbia resulted in the theft of his $700 black Apple iPhone — taken from him on 11th Ave., btw. W. 33rd & W. 34th Sts. The young man reported that although he felt the phone being removed from his pocket, he didn’t actually see the perpetrator (who had quickly disappeared into the crowd). On the northwest corner of 11th Ave & W. 28th St., another tourist, this time from Las Vegas, had her $549 iPhone taken from her front right pocket. The 30-year-old told police she was standing, and felt somebody jostle her. In a final insult to out-of-towners, a Valley Stream, NY resident who was on the northwest corner of 11th Ave. & W. 24th St. was entranced by the colorful display (and perhaps the music of Usher) when she suddenly noticed that her wallet was missing. The woman did not see or feel anyone remove it. Gone the way of colonial rule from the British crown: $20 cash and three credit cards.
Grand Larceny: Joint ‘cased’ for hot pants
He brought a suitcase into the store, and took $1,698.25 worth of clothes on an unauthorized trip. An employee of The Gap (258 Eighth Ave.) told police that at around 11am on Fri., July 5, a man entered the store with a suitcase, walked over to the men’s section and proceeded to put 25 pairs of blue jeans and 10 T-shirts into the makeshift shopping bag. He then fled the store on foot, southbound on Eighth Ave. Surveillance video captured the incident, and the police are now on the lookout for a man who — if decked out in his ill-gotten gains — could be described as “casually dressed.”
Robbery: Defiant victim follows perp, flags police
A brazen crime committed close to last call was the final straw for a 26-year-old East Village resident, who was approached while walking on the West 200 block of 28th St. at around 3:50am on Sun., July 7. When a 19-year-old female asked the woman for money, she refused. The perp left, but soon returned — this time, with a request to use the woman’s cell phone (an iPhone 5S valued at $200). The victim again refused — at which point the perp pushed her, pulled her hair, took the cell phone out of her hand and fled westbound on 28th St. The victim gave chase and, at the corner of Eighth Ave. & 28th, flagged down the police — who arrested the perp and returned the phone to its owner.
Robbery: Friend’s call helps nab ‘chain’ fool
While filing a complaint at the 10th Precinct several days after he was robbed, an elderly victim received a phone call from a friend notifying him that the perp was lurking around his West Chelsea building. Police escorted the victim back to the area, where he positively identified the man — who, on July 4, had put a knife to the victim’s neck and demanded he hand over his watch (valued at $300), gold chains (worth $200) and cash ($240).
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance: Three buds, green bud and tall Buds
Uniformed officers of the 10th Precinct arrested three men, ages 22, 23 and 22, at 2:30am on Sun., July 7 — after observing them in a vehicle parked outside of 501 W. 20th St. The initial visible offense (drinking 12 oz. Budweisers) was enough to arouse suspicion—but the actual arrest charge stemmed from a small amount of marijuana discovered on the person of one of the men. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the pot-pocketed perp’s other two “buds” were in possession of “alleged ecstasy.”
COULDN’T stay in the ‘white lines’
A 37-year-old man was arrested in front of 344 W. 17th St. on Sat., July 6 — when police observed him “operating a Mini Cooper in a reckless manner, causing public alarm.” The man was found to be in possession of cocaine.
—Scott Stiffler
