Failed bank robbery in Tribeca
It is like a scene from a movie: a man walks into a bank, hands the teller a note demanding money and he walks out with the loot. In the real scenario that happened at the Valley National Bank in Tribeca last week, there was a twist — the would-be robber got away with nothing.
Police say it started on Wed., Nov. 12 around 4 p.m. at the bank on 90 Franklin St. A man came in and passed the teller a note that stated “I have a gun put money in the bag,” the 25-year-old female bank employee told police.
“Give me all hundreds. I ain’t playing with you. Yo, give me all hundreds. I ain’t playing I have a gun,” the suspect told the teller, according to police.
Police say that the drawer couldn’t be open and the suspect fled north on Church St.
Cars stolen at gunpoint
A trio of thieves threatened a Tribeca parking attendant with a silver handgun two weeks ago, forcing him to go upstairs, where they tied him up with duct tape. Police say the thieves then stole three cars: a 2010 gray Audi, valued at $21,000; a 2012 blue Range Rover, valued at $50,000; and a 2008 black BMW, valued at $36,000.
The thieves entered the garage at 24 Leonard St. a little after midnight on Fri., Nov. 7. They forced the 68-year-old parking lot attendant to an upstairs office where they bound his wrists behind his back, and put tape around his ankles and face. The three men also stole the attendant’s wallet and cell phone.
While the suspects were in the garage stealing the cars, the parking attendant was able to free his ankles after about 15 minutes. He went to 18 Leonard St., where a 35-year-old man freed his hands of the duct tape and also called 911. When the police arrived, the three cars were gone. None of the cars had tracking devices. Police say that the garage had no video surveillance. Two of the stolen cars belong to Tribeca residents, and one belongs to a man from Long Island.
Subway conductor hit
A M.T.A. train conductor was pulling a Downtown 1 train out of the station at Canal St. in Tribeca last week when an unknown assailant threw a box of wooden coffee stirrers at his head.
The incident took place on Mon., Nov. 10 at 8:35 p.m. The 47-year-old conductor told police that he had bruises on his right cheek and two scratches on his jawline.
Purse purloined
Last weekend, a man got away with a $1,545 gray patent leather handbag from the Balenciaga store at 148 Mercer St. in Soho.
A female employee, 35, told police that a suspect took the purse off the shelf and walked out of the store on Sat., Nov. 15 at 1:45 p.m.
Work vans stolen
A 51-year-old went to find his work van after parking it at 89 Greene St. in Soho last week and found it gone. The man had parked the 2011 gray Ford Econoline van at noon on Friday, Nov. 14 and when he returned the next evening at around 9 p.m., it was no where to be found. He told police he was not sure whether he locked the doors.
Police are looking for a suspect after he stole a $3,500 working van parked earlier this month in Soho.
It was the second work Econoline van stolen in Soho this month. As DowntownExpress.com reported two weeks ago, a 47-year-old employee of Midtown Masonry said that a man stole his gray work van opposite of 129 Prince St. and headed south on W. Broadway at 11 a.m. on Fri., Nov. 7.
The police found the 2000 Ford Econoline van abandoned at 75 Varick St. No property was taken from the van, but the ignition had been popped off. Video from 75 Varick St. showed a man running from the scene and police say they think the suspect then got on the 1 train at Canal St.
Thief fattens up on donuts
A 67-year-old woman was in Soho when she realized her purse was missing and subsequently discovered that someone had used her credit cards to spend $100 at Dunkin’ Donuts and $28 at a movie theater Thurs., Nov. 6.
The woman was unsure exactly where she lost track of her pocket book, but knew it was gone at 170 Mercer St. at 7:30 p.m. She had cancelled the credit cards but not before the thief swiped it at the two locations. Her leather purse also had $130 in cash, her license and her cell phone.
Brooklyn Bridge Climb
In what is the third instance of foreign nationals climbing the Brooklyn Bridge, a French tourist was arrested on Sun., Nov. 16 after prosecutors say he decided to climb the bridge’s supports to take some photos.
Yonathan Souid was visiting New York on a weeklong religious trip, his attorney James Medows said. He went for a walk on the bridge at 12:29 p.m. and a police officer spotted Souid and took him into custody, documents state, though it is unclear exactly how the collar took place.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office has charged him with reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, and a violation of the administrative code that “prohibits climbing, jumping or suspending oneself from structures.”
Souid posted $7,000 in bail on Monday, and Medows said prosecutors are blowing the adventure out of proportion.
In response to this incident, State Senator Daniel Squadron, whose district includes Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, and Assemblymember Joseph Lentol announced on Nov. 18 state legislation that would raise the penalties for trespassing on critical infrastructure.
The legislation would fill a gap in current state law, as well as complement a proposal introduced earlier this year by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer that would make it a federal crime to trespass on critical infrastructure with the intent to commit a crime.
A pair of German artists claimed to have climbed the 276-foot towers back in July in order to replace the bridge’s American flags with hand-sewn, all-white versions to honor bridge designer John Roebling. The following month, police arrested Russian tourist Yaroslav Kolchin after he strolled up a cable to the top of the Brooklyn-side tower to take some cellphone photos. Kolchin received a sentence of community service.
—Dusica Sue Malesevic and Matthew Perlman
