Volume 74, Number 27 | November 10 – 16, 2004
Police Blotter
Village scam
A Carmine St. resident was victimized on Oct. 23 by a man who stopped her at the door to her building at about 4 p.m. and said he was sent by the building owner to check the water pipes. The resident, 79, who described the man as having a Spanish accent and being well dressed in black clothes and a black baseball cap, admitted him to her apartment where he proceeded to open all the taps. He then said he needed money for a plumbing fixture, according to police.
The victim pulled some money out of her pocket and the suspect grabbed it, counted $57 and said he would return and give it back. The victim told police she looked out her window and saw the victim get in the passenger side of a car, which drove off.
Mike Singer, community affairs officer at the Sixth Precinct, urged Villagers to make sure to see identification of anyone who claims to be an agent of the landlord. The Carmine St. victim said later that the super of her building told her she should always check with him first to see if repairmen are legitimate.
Heavy metal
Last Wednesday and Thursday, heavily armed police units were in Union Sq., raising suspicion among some that they were detailed there to put a chill on anti-Bush protests following the election. Wednesday night, several hundred protesters, mainly students, rallied in the square from 5-7 p.m. When police showed up with automatic rifles at the end of the rally, the protesters slowly advanced on them chanting “No machine guns in the park,” and the officers backed off. The next night, police were there again with their long guns and a K-9 unit as well — but it was raining and not many protesters were around. Police spokespersons said the units were Hercules teams that since 9/11 have been appearing around the city, either randomly or assigned to specific locations.
No fun party
A Danish woman, 26, identified as a student who lives on the Lower East Side, told First Precinct police that she was leaving a party at 83 Leonard St. at 1 a.m. on Oct. 29 when she discovered the zipper of her shoulder bag open and $500 in cash, a digital camera, Danish and student IDs and a credit card missing. The woman told police that other people leaving the party also said property had been taken from their bags.
Arrest murder suspect
A suspect wanted in connection with an Oct. 24 shooting death on the street in front of 450 W. 27th St. in the Elliott-Chelsea housing complex was arrested Nov. 2 by Orange County Sheriff’s Deputies in Orlando, Fla. Robert Velazquez, 26, of 3039 Wallace Ave., the Bronx, known as “Macho,” was extradited last week and charged with the murder of David Deckle, 27, of E. 116th St.
Rakowitz extension
According to Barbara Thompson, a spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, in response to a request from the state Attorney General’s Office, State Supreme Court Justice Donna Mills has granted an extension until Dec. 1 for filing papers in the sanity case of Daniel Rakowitz. Previously, following the conclusion of a jury trial, Rakowitz’s lawyers requested an extension beyond the original filing date set for last month. Rakowitz, 43 — found not guilty by reason of insanity of killing his girlfriend and feeding her as soup to the Tompkins Sq. Park homeless in 1989 — is seeking transfer to a less-secure mental facility. After getting the papers, Mills will make her ruling.
