Weaponized hot sauce
Two food cart vendors were assaulted and robbed in separate incidents on Wed., Nov. 4 in Lower Manhattan, according to police.
A man who claimed to be an employee got into a verbal dispute with a food vendor in front of 17 Battery Place in the Financial District at noon. The argument over money escalated to the point where the purported employee squirted hot sauce into the vendor’s eyes and then snatched $200 from the cash drawer, according to the police report. The alleged attacker was arrested.
In the second incident, four men approached a food cart at the corner of West and Liberty Sts. in Battery Park City at 6:10 p.m. and demanded money from the 48-year-old man selling shish kebabs. One of the four suspects stuck the vendor with a knife and said, “If you do not move from here, I will kill you,” according to police. The group took off with an unspecified amount of money.
Fare gone wrong
A cabbie got an unpleasant surprise when he stopped to pick up some men in Soho on Mon., Nov. 16. They punched him and stole his $80 iPhone charger and $50 in cash, police say.
The 60-year-old driver stopped at the corner of Prince St. and Broadway at 9:50 p.m. after the men hailed him. When he stopped next to them, they opened the passenger side door, punched him and stole his stuff, then fled. Police did not specify how many assailants there were. The cab driver had a minor cut on his life and refused medical assistance.
Bier Brouhaha
A disorderly man who was kicked out of the Bavaria Bier House, fled without paying for his meal, and then punched the manager in the lip when she tried to get him to pay up.
The man ordered his food at 3:20 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 6 at the Financial District restaurant at 47 Stone St., but he was making other patrons feel uncomfortable and was asked to leave, according to the police report.
The surly customer then left in a huff without paying for his coffee, fries, grilled steak, and salad. When the manager went after him for the $50, he punched her and fled to the J subway station at Broad St.
Thief not nailed
A nail salon customer wanted more than just a mani and pedi — she stole an employee’s wallet.
The 35-year-old employee told police that a woman went into an unlocked room at Affina Nails & Spa at 88 Fulton St. on Sun., Nov. 15 at 4:10 p.m. and stole her $200 wallet, $200 in cash, various credit cards, library card, and driver’s license. The thief then made four unauthorized charges on the woman’s credit cards totaling $100.
Curly or straight?
A thief got away with over $1,000 worth of hair styling tools from a Duane Reade, police say.
A man waltzed into the 40 Wall St. drug store in the Financial District at 6:30 p.m. on Wed., Nov. 11, and stole 22 Conair products to both straighten and curl one’s hair as well as other styling accouterments. The thief stuffed them into a black plastic bag and left, according to cops.
Golden Apple
While shopping at the Sephora in Soho, a woman felt someone reach into her jacket and snatch her $900 gold iPhone, police say.
The 41-year-old Queens resident told police she felt the pickpocket happening at around 5 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 15 at the store at 555 Broadway. It was unclear, however, who did the deed. Police viewed surveillance video and also stated it was difficult to discern who stole the pricey phone.
Soda scuffle
A woman was walking through the intersection of W. Broadway and Canal St. when the man walking in front of her, turned around and threw a can of soda in her face, police say.
The soda scuffle took place on Tues., Nov. 3 at 12:15 p.m. on the border between Tribeca and Soho, according to cops. The 37-year-old victim told police the attacker fled northbound on Sixth Ave. and that the soda made her face swell up. No word on whether it was Coke or Pepsi.
— Dusica Sue Malesevic
