Crime Watch
Underwear Affair
A woman stole 120 pairs of underwear. At 4:30 PM on Monday, February 10, a woman entered a popular chain lingerie store on Broadway and made off with 120 pairs of underwear valued at $1,580. Store employees were unaware of the theft until they reviewed the store's security video.
Moore Score
A local business fell prey to the Green Dot card scam. On Wednesday, February 5, a female employee at a business on North Moore Street received a call from an unknown person claiming to be a Con Ed representative. The caller said the business owed the utility money and unless they paid $1,209 by means of Green Dot MoneyPak cards immediately, the utility would shut off their electricity. The business paid the money before they realized that they had been scammed.
Russian Ice
A disturbed man was arrested for throwing snow and ice at the World Trade Center PATH station. At 8:30 AM on Monday, February 10, a 39-year-old man was yelling in Russian and throwing snow and ice from the top of the escalator at the station, even as police were trying to keep pedestrians safe from ice falling off the Freedom Tower construction site. The man resisted arrest, causing hand and wrist injuries to one of the arresting officers. He was charged with resisting arrest, assault, and reckless endangerment, and taken to an area hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
Knicked Nikon
Someone boosted an expensive camera from a taxicab. At 2 PM on Tuesday, February 4, a 45-year-old man was escorting his ailing aunt to New York Downtown Hospital in a taxicab. He had the driver wait for him as he checked his aunt into the hospital. When he returned to the cab ten minutes later, he found that someone had removed his $4,000 Nikon camera from the back seat of the cab. One of the passenger windows was open, but the cabbie had not seen anyone remove the camera.
Backpack Attack
A woman's wallet was removed from her backpack. At 6 PM on Sunday, February 9, a 36-year-old woman was walking on the southwest corner of Spring Street and Broadway when someone bumped her from behind. She then realized that her backpack had been unzipped and her wallet removed. Her wallet had contained $700 in cash, various credit cards, and a Chinese passport.
ZZZ=$$$
Someone stole a sleeping student's bag. At 1:15 PM on Thursday, February 6, a 27-year-old female student fell asleep in a library on Chambers Street. When she woke up after half an hour, she discovered that her black Aldo bag was missing. It had contained a Samsung cell phone, credit cards, a New York State ID, and a cell phone charger. The total value of the stolen goods exceeded $600.
POLICE ADVISORY: DON'T BE THE VICTIM OF GREEN DOT PREPAID DEBIT CARD PHONE SCAMS!
With the availability of Prepaid Debit Cards, criminals have developed new ways to steal from the public:
a) A caller informs the victim that they owe back taxes to the IRS and must make immediate payment with a Green Dot MoneyPak.
b) The victim's family member had a car accident, and the caller threatens physical violence unless immediate reimbursement is made with a Green Dot MoneyPak.
c) Utility companies demand immediate payment by Green Dot MoneyPak, or your electricity or gas will be turned off.
Crime Prevention Tips
n Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.
n Remember that anyone who has the number on a Green Dot MoneyPak card has access to the funds on the card.
n NEVER give out personal or financial information to anyone who emails or calls you unsolicited.
n NEVER wire money or provide debit, credit card, or Green Dot MoneyPak card numbers to someone you do not know.
n Utility companies and government agencies will NOT contact you demanding immediate payment by MoneyPak.