PETIT LARCENY: Dogged pursuit | When attempting to court someone, the usual procedure is to ask for their phone number, rather than taking their phone wholesale — but that’s the tack one less-than-legal lothario took on Sat., Feb 25. While walking her dog near the northeast corner of W. 23rd St. and 11th Ave., a 24-year-old woman was approached by a stranger at around 3:45pm, who asked her to pet her canine companion. She acquiesced, and they engaged in conversation for a couple of minutes. This pleasant chat ended after the man asked her out on a date, which the woman politely declined, and then walked away. It was soon thereafter that she realized that her phone — a $500 iPhone 5s in a $50 OtterBox case — was missing from her front pocket, presumably taken by her would-be beau.
CRIMINAL SALE OF MARIJUANA: Subweed | Just before 3am on Sat., Feb. 25, while on a northbound train at the 14th St. station, a police officer witnessed an on-the-go drug deal go down, as one man exchanged some cash for weed. Upon further inspection, the seller was in possession of a Ziploc bag full of weed and a “marijuana cigar.” The dealer and the buyer, both 19 years old, were arrested.
VEHICLE TRAFFIC LAW/INTOXICATED DRIVING: Shotgun shot glass | Around 10pm on Sat., Feb. 25, an officer was called upon to respond to a radio run about a reckless driver on the West Side Highway. When the officer approached the car in question, however, the motorist wasn’t even driving — the car was stopped in the middle of the lane of southbound traffic at the southwest corner of 12th Ave. and W. 24th St., with the driver slumped over the steering wheel, the keys in the ignition, and a puddle of fluid accumulating underneath the engine. Reportedly, the man had bloodshot eyes, was barely coherent, and smelled strongly of alcohol — a condition explained by the open 750ml decanter of Patrón and shot glass riding with him on the passenger’s seat. While he refused to take a breathalyzer test, the evidence was already stacked against him, and the 34-year-old Bronx man was arrested nonetheless.
CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A HYPODERMIC INSTRUMENT: Knife dope | At around 3:30pm on Sun., Feb. 26, an officer noticed an illicit knife clipped to a the back left pocket of a man loitering on the 400 block of W. 26th St. (btw. Ninth & 10th Aves.), in plain view in a public place. Upon further inspection, the officer found a small quantity of a controlled substance and a hypodermic needle on his person. “I use the knife for protection,” the man offered by way of explanation. “And I have dope on me.” This decided non-excuse did nothing to prevent the 32-year-old man from being arrested.
PETIT LARCENY: Dental hijack | It’s a fact that all five out of five dentists recommend following the law, though that did nothing to stop two toothy thieves on Sat., Feb. 25. A little before 4pm, a CVS (272 Eighth Ave., at W. 24th St.) employee witnessed two men grab some items from a shelf, hide them in their jackets, and then leave the premises without paying. It turns out the two men took six toothbrushes in total (collectively valued at $42), which is simply a very silly number of toothbrushes to have — at least at one time. A canvas was conducted but yielded negative results.
—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.
