Robbed by fake Uber
On Sun., May 15, around 1:30 a.m., a woman entered a car that she thought was an Uber taxi she had requested in the vicinity of Mangin and E. Houston Sts., near the F.D.R. Drive, after the driver stated that he was there to pick her up.
As the woman rode in the black four-door sedan, however, she began to realize the man was not driving toward her residence. And as the vehicle passed the E. 96th St. exit on the F.D.R. Drive, the driver suddenly demanded money while threatening to shoot and sexually assault her.
The victim complied with his demands and gave her property to the driver as he exited the highway at an unknown location in northern Manhattan. The victim was able to escape the car while it was stopped at a red light on Park Ave.
The woman was not injured and the driver fled with the victim’s iPhone, wallet, $20 in cash, a debit card, a MetroCard, a jacket and a pair of gold earrings.
The individual was described as in his 30s, with short hair and a beard.
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.
Fired, flipped out
An employee of Spur Tree at Norman’s Cay restaurant at 74 Orchard St. reportedly did not handle getting fired very well. On Sun., May 22, at 1:30 a.m., according to police, the former worker began flipping tables, breaking multiple items, and threatening other workers after being told he was fired. No one was injured.
The man was arrested the next day in front of 75 Christopher St., when one of the restaurant’s employees saw him and pointed him out to an officer.
Christopher Bates, 23, was arrested for felony criminal mischief.
Monster bash
An staff member of the Monster bar at 80 Grove St. was assaulted early Sunday morning, police said. On May 29 at around 2 a.m., a man struck an employee at the bar several times, causing substantial pain.
Police arrested Jovan Lopez, 36, for misdemeanor assault.
With friends like this…
On Mon., May 23, at around 4:30 p.m. at the southwest corner of Washington Square South and Thompson St., two acquaintances got into an argument, when one man got physical. He struck the other man with a blunt instrument on his head, neck and hand, causing physical injury, police said.
The assailant then took property from the victim, including a duffle bag, items of clothing and $50. A canvass was conducted and police located the alleged perpetrator at Mercer Playground, on Mercer St. between Bleecker and W. Third Sts. He was positively identified by the victim and the stolen property was recovered.
Matthew Pritchett, 45, was arrested for felony robbery.
Soda threat fizzles
The CVS at 360 Sixth Ave. was the scene of a robbery on Thurs., May 26, police said. At 12:50 p.m. that day, a man reportedly entered the location and was observed by the store manager placing four sodas in his duffle bag. The manager removed the sodas from the man’s bag and told him to get out. However, as the man was exiting the store, he got into a verbal dispute with the manager and then displayed a knife while stating, “Come outside to finish this.”
The man then fled on foot to Washington Square Park, where an officer who had received a photo of the man arrested him. Upon a search, a crack pipe was recovered.
Jonathan Liu, 36, was arrested for misdemeanor criminal possession of a weapon.
Emily Siegel
and Lincoln Anderson
