Crime Watch

Watch Heist

A man shoplifted an expensive watch. At 11:45 AM on Friday, October 4, a man entered a jewelry store on Broadway and asked about some watches in the front display. The store clerk assisted the man, who tried on three watches. After putting the third watch on the man's wrist, the clerk went to close the display case, at which time the man fled the store without paying for the tony timepiece. The store clerk and a 46-year-old male witness chased the robber south on Broadway and west on Vesey Street, but lost him in the crowd. Video of the theft may be available. The watch stolen was a Breitling valued at $10,000.

Makeup Takeup

A man stole a bag at a photo shoot. At 4:55 PM on Sunday, October 6, a 33-year-old woman placed her bag down on the sidewalk and began a photo shoot on the northeast corner of Spring Street and Wooster Street. While she was taking photos of her subject, a 23-year-old woman, a man walked over, took the photographer's bag, and walked away northbound on Wooster Street. Items stolen were two iPhone 5's valued at $850, $448 in cash, makeup powders valued at $400, a Dior makeup palette costing $270, a bag of lipsticks priced at $250, a small blue Coach bag valued at $180, a red leather DKNY purse costing $100, an iPhone 5 charger worth $25, various credit and debit cards, plus the photographer's Romanian passport and USA work permit. The total stolen amounted to $2,523.

No Help

A man stole a woman's purse in the subway. At 1:15 AM on Saturday, October 5, a 60-year-old woman entered the subway at the William Street and Fulton Street Station. As she was walking onto the mezzanine, she heard her train arriving and started to run to catch it. Then she fell. She was approached from behind by a 20-year-old man, who asked if she would like help getting up. She refused. He then took her purse from the floor and fled onto the A/C train platform. The woman chased him onto that platform, when a witness saw the man running to the Fulton Street J Train exit, where it is believed he fled to the street. The woman was treated for a twisted ankle. The items stolen were a white gold necklace with diamonds valued at $900, $500 in cash, a snake yellow gold necklace with diamonds costing $500, white gold heart earrings valued at $400, a tan Coach bag costing $300, a Tiffany necklace/bracelet worth $300, a Metro PCS phone priced at $199, small silver earrings costing $120, a Brown coach wallet valued at $100, various debit and credit cards, plus the woman's New York State driver's permit and health benefits card. The total stolen came to $3,319.

Livery Sleight of Hand

A livery driver switched credit cards on a tourist, enabling unauthorized charges. At 10:15 PM on Friday, October 4, a 34-year-old female tourist from Mexico City, Mexico got into a black Town Car at Seventh Avenue and Bleecker Street and asked to go to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. When they arrived, the driver asked for her credit card. The driver swiped the passenger's Citibank card on an iPhone credit card attachment and asked her to enter her personal identification number. She did so, and the driver handed back a different Citibank card, a switch she did not notice at the time. She later learned that $1,000 had been withdrawn at various ATMs, and two charges totaling $40 had been made as well. The location and times of those charges were unknown at the time of her police report.

Lost, Then Found

A man was arrested after stealing another man's duffel bag. At 9 PM on Friday, October 4, a 39-year-old man left a duffel bag unattended at an establishment on Pine Street while he went to use the restroom. When he returned, he found that the duffel bag and its contents were gone. Fortunately, his stolen laptop had tracking software installed. A 23-year-old man was apprehended, arrested, and charged with grand larceny on October 5. The items he was charged with stealing were a Lenovo laptop valued at $1,000, a Verizon MiFi costing $200, an external hard drive worth $200, Nike Air Max sneakers costing $125, and Disney shorts valued at $35. The total take came to $1,560.