Fifth Precinct
Killed by cab
An 80-year-old woman was struck by a yellow cab at Centre and Broome Sts. on Sat., May 18, around 4:33 p.m. Responding officers found the victim lying in the street with severe head trauma. E.M.S. medics transported her to New York Downtown Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. As of early Tuesday morning, police had not released the victim’s name, meaning her family may not yet have been located and notified first.
Police said the 44-year-old cabbie was driving along Centre St. and was making a left turn onto Broome St. where he struck the woman, who was trying to cross Broome St. within the crosswalk. The driver was taken into custody at the scene.
The driver, Bouchouata Miloudi, 44, of Avenue O, in Brooklyn, was subsequently arrested and charged with failure to yield to a pedestrian and failure to use due care.
Seventh Precinct
Gunman arrested
On Fri., May 17, at 7 a.m., police responded to the intersection of Baruch Drive and Delancey St., after a driver parked at a fire hydrant fled from a traffic enforcement agent who had jotted down the vehicle’s license plate number and was about to issue a ticket. It turned out the car was sought in connection with shots fired on Sun., April 28, at Amsterdam Ave. and W. 178th St.
On Sat., May 18, just before 6 a.m., Police Officers Joseph Stokes and Daniel Amaral were in uniform and on patrol in a marked police car near 90 Columbia St., when they spotted a vehicle fitting the description from the above incidents. The pair initiated a car stop.
Officers Jose Aracena and Luis Perez were in uniform and on patrol in another marked police car and also responded to the location.
Stokes and Amaral approached on foot and engaged the 28-year-old male driver. The man refused the officers’ orders, whipped out a fully loaded .38-caliber revolver and thrust it into Aracena’s torso. Perez, however, quickly hit the gunman with his Taser and the gunman was taken into custody without further incident.
The firearm was recovered and no shots were fired. The man was transported by E.M.S. to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition. One officer was transported by E.M.S. to an area hospital in stable condition with a complaint of elbow pain.
Amado Zubidi, 28, of 75 Baruch Drive, Ap. 11A, was charged with attempted aggravated murder of a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest.
Sixth Precinct
Fitness felon
There was a theft in Planet Fitness, at 22 E. 14th St., between University Place and Fifth Ave., police said. On Tues., April 30, at 8 p.m., a 24-year-old man said he went into the locker room and put his items in a locker but did not lock it. When he returned, he found that his stuff was gone, including a Levi’s denim jacket, Valentino glasses and a wallet with several credit cards and ID cards, all together totaling $570 in value.
There were several attempts to make purchases with his cards. A $154.95 purchase at a CVS using a Chase credit card was declined as fraudulent by the bank. There were two unsuccessful attempts to use Chase debit cards, one at a Duane Reade for $121.93 and one at a Walgreens for $161.94. A Chase debit card was successfully used at the Whole Foods at 40 E. 14th St. for $87.09 at 10:03 p.m., and again at 10:05 p.m. for $54.43.
Video was available in the lobby of the Planet Fitness, and two weeks later on May 14, Bryan Cassidy, 29, was arrested for felony grand larceny. None of the stolen items were recovered.
Asked, then took
An allegedly homeless man gave new meaning to the term “aggressive panhandler,” when he mugged a guy in front of 134 W. Third St., between MacDougal St. and Sixth Ave., last Saturday, according to police.
A man told cops that on May 18, around 5:15 p.m., he was walking on the sidewalk when a man approached and said, “I’m a homeless man, I need money to eat.” The man said he gave him a $20 bill out of fear.
The homeless man then reportedly became agitated and kicked the man several times and said, “Give me everything you have in your pocket.” The attacker then reached into the victim’s pocket and took another $20 bill, as the victim struggled and tried to push the aggressor away.
Police canvassed area with the victim, and he was able to spot the thief, who was arrested. There was video available of the man reaching into the victim’s pocket. A search of the homeless man found that he had a McDonald’s receipt showing he paid $20 and got $5.88 back in change. A total of $25.88 was recovered. Paris Fuller, 29, was arrested for felony robbery.
PATH to trouble
A robbery and sexual assault was reported last Monday outside 88 Grove St., between Waverly Place and W. Fourth St., police said. A teen said that on May 13, around 5:30 a.m., he was walking to the Christopher St. PATH train station, when a man approached at W. Fourth and Grove Sts. and asked where he was going. The victim, 18, said he was heading to the PATH, but he willingly followed the other man to 88 Grove St. after being invited. He said he followed him because he was scared, due to the other man being a lot bigger than him.
At 88 Grove St., the man followed the perp down a staircase, where the perp forcibly pulled down the victim’s pants and performed oral sex on him without consent. After the victim told him to stop, the perp hit him on the right side of his face, knocking him over and causing soreness and swelling to his face. The attacker then held the man down with his left hand and hit him with his right hand, and took the victim’s wallet from his rear pants pocket.
The victim said that he found that $120 in cash was missing from his wallet. Zhavod Moore, 41, was arrested the same day for felony robbery, and was found to have an active warrant out for his arrest.
10th Precinct
Healthy bust
A shoplifter stole a brain-boosting supplement last Saturday at the Whole Foods at 250 Seventh Ave., at W. 24th St., but he didn’t outsmart anyone, according to police. On May 18 around 4:15 p.m., a man was seen putting several items into a brown Whole Foods bag. The items included Brain Octane Oil and several seafood items, with a total value of $113. The man went to the register and paid for some of the items, then tried to leave the store while also carrying the items that he didn’t pay for. Ilker Eraslan, 26, was arrested for misdemeanor petit larceny.
Angry words
An argument got heated between a resident and a building super last week at 140 Seventh Ave., between W. 18th and 19th Sts., police said. On Thurs., May 16, at 3:30 p.m., a 43-year-old male resident said he got into a quarrel with the super, a 50-year-old man. The super reportedly told the tenant, “I’ll kick your ass!” according to police. He said the super also was preventing him from accessing his room. A harassment violation was filed against the super, Sam Koubti.
Leo threat
An ex-employee at Leo House, a hotel at 332 W. 23rd St., between Eighth and Ninth Aves., made a threatening remark at the hotel, according to a police report. On Fri., May 17, at 8:30 a.m., the former worker, a 50-year-old man, came to the hotel and spoke with the hotel supervisor, a 51-year-old woman.
“You might see me on the 12 o’clock news today,” the man allegedly told her.
The supervisor and several other employees said they feared for their safety, and the supervisor said the ex-employee has been seen with a weapon. A harassment violation was filed against the man, Michael Morgan.
Straight to Barney’s
Police said they are looking for two women in connection with a grand larceny that occurred in Chelsea on Mon., April 22. On that day, around 4 p.m., a woman, 38, who was at the Starbucks Roastery at 61 Ninth Ave., at W. 15th St., returned from the bathroom to find that her wallet containing $400 and credit cards had been taken, police said.
An investigation found that about $22,000 of unauthorized purchases were made at the Barney’s department store at 101 Seventh Ave., between W. 16th and 17th Sts., by two unidentified women. Police released Barney’s surveillance images of the suspects, who are described as between 30 and 40 years old, and last seen wearing black baseball caps and dark clothing.
Gabe Herman
and Lincoln Anderson
