PETIT LARCENY: Petula tried to warn her | “Don’t Sleep in the Subway” was a big hit for Petula Clark in the summer of 1967 — but nearly a half-century later, some straphangers still haven’t learned much from the catchy tune’s cautionary lyrics. Case in point, the unfortunate incident that unfolded in the early morning hours of Fri., May 19, when a 41-year-old woman boarded the 7 train in Queens, gave her eyes a very long rest, then woke up at the 34th Street–Hudson Yards station to discover $700 worth of belongings had been taken (stored between her feet, the victim noted she did not feel or see anyone take her property — which has a way of happening when you are unconscious). Now she can only dream of being reunited with her wallet, flash drive, $300 in cash, Motorola cell phone valued at $400, and miscellaneous forms of identification. At least the subway snoozer had the good sense to cancel her credit cards before any unauthorized charges could be made.
ASSAULT: Subway Sucker Punch | Police, on Sat., May 6, arrested and charged a 45-year-old man with two counts of assault and criminal trespass — for punching a 30-year-old woman in the face while on the southbound platform of the 34th Street-Herald Square station at around 7:30 a.m. on Thurs., May 4. The woman had bruises and swelling on her face, but refused medical attention. Police have also connected a Sat., April 22 incident with the perp, in which, at around 10:45 a.m., he is suspected of approaching a 23-year-old man in a restricted area of the subway system near the same 34th Street-Herald Square station before striking him with a pipe. Police said the attack was prefaced with an exchange of words and the man was hit on his left forearm and suffered swelling.
GRAND LARCENY AUTO: An engraved invitation to thieves | A dim deliveryman has only himself to blame for the loss of precious cargo and the wounding of pride. The 54-year-old parked his truck in front of 340 W. 28th St. (btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.) at around 11 a.m. on Sat., May 20, then returned a short time later to find the vehicle missing. The man admitted to police that he left the keys in the ignition, and the door unlocked. A canvas was conducted in the surrounding area — and the responding officers even checked the NYPD tow pound to see if it had been taken away by legal means. Alas, both inquiries yielded negative results. A GPS device on the truck, however, indicated that less than an hour after the vehicle (valued at $6,000) went missing from W. 28th St., it was making its way, outbound, across the Willis Avenue Bridge — driven, one might reasonably surmise, by a thief grateful for the deliveryman’s carelessness, and only too happy to be in possession of his victim’s wallet, $40 cash, a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, and the goodies meant for delivery (60 boxes filled with medical supplies, and a hand truck to help facilitate the unloading process).
FELONY ROBBERY: Afternoon grab, flight | A woman was exiting the subway at the northwest corner of Seventh Ave. and W. 14th St. at 2:15 p.m. on Fri., April 21, when a stranger grabbed her cell phone, according to police. When the victim, 23, tried to pull away from the suspect, he punched her on her left cheek and ear and ran away with her phone and other items, police said. Unauthorized charges totaling $575.42 were made on the credit card before the victim could cancel it. The victim reported the robbery an hour and 45 minutes after it happened. A 15-year-old male was arrested Mon., May 8, for felony robbery.
FELONY ROBBERY: Teen ‘takeout’ try | A gun-toting 17-year-old tried to stick up the North Village Deli (78 Eighth Ave., on the southeast corner of W. 14th St.) on Tues., May 2, at 1:30 a.m., police said. The teen walked into the location, demanded money, showed a handgun and said, “Get the money or I’ll shoot you.” When the employee, 53, behind the counter refused to fork over cash, the suspect went behind the counter and tried to remove the register. But the worker wrestled the suspect to the ground and held him until police arrived. The 17-year-old was arrested for felony robbery.
—Lincoln Anderson, Jackson Chen, Tabia Robinson, Scott Stiffler
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, Commanding Officer. 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 & 35th Sts.). 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.
