Crime Watch

Home Invasion Last Thursday night, a masked manpushed his way into an apartment on West81st Street, brandishing what appeared tobe a silver weapon to the startled male victimwho answered the door. The suspect,who police said is known only as "Anthony,"told his male victim to shut up and get onthe ground, then went into the living roomwhere a woman was sleeping and told herto get on the ground as well. When she gotonto her knees, he hit her in the back ofthe head and tied her hands. The invaderthen forced both victims into the bedroom,where he demanded the code to their safeand withdrew $4,700 in cash, then fled theapartment. The suspect is still at large. Not-So-Friendly Friend A woman called police last week toreport a theft by her one-time Facebookfriend. She said that she met the man onthe social networking site and had beenhaving a consensual sexual relationshipwith him. At their most recent tryst at theComfort Inn Motel on West 71st Street,she asked her companion to fetch a fewitems from her car. When he did not return, she checked the vehicle and discoveredthat her pal had grabbed $3,000in cash and left her. Sounds like a solidcase for de-friending. Prank Callers A worker at the Martin Luther KingSchool reported that while she was awork, an unknown person snatched her$600 iPhone out of her bag and made39 unauthorized calls on the cell phonebefore she could freeze her account. Grabby Hands On Saturday, a 61-year-old womanwaited patiently in line at a TD Bank locationto make a deposit. The customer inline behind her, a 60-year-old woman, wasnot so patient, and reached into the victim'spurse to lift $400 in cash. The thiefwas promptly arrested. No Saving Seats A patron of the arts attended an eventat Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall lastweek and placed her bag on the emptyseat next to her. She was so riveted by theevening's entertainment that she didn'tnotice until later that her black Chanelpurse, worth $3,000 on its own, was gone.The purse also contained a $1,000 Gucciwallet, a $499 iPhone, a $200 Blackberryand $400 in cash, as well as credit cards. Angel Assault Last Wednesday, scared residents ofthe Amsterdam Houses NYCHA developmentcalled police as a man high onthe drug known as angel dust terrorizedeveryone who walked through the lobby.The crazed man threatened anyone whopassed, including kids, and refused toleave. When police arrived, they triedto subdue the man, but he was able to punch one of the officers square in theface, breaking his glasses and giving him a nasty laceration. The man continuedflailing his arms and contorting his body to avoid the handcuffs that police eventuallyslapped on him, and they discoveredtwo bags of the illegal drug in his pockets.The man was arrested and brought toRoosevelt Hospital for treatment. Baby as Decoy A couple walked into a Duane Readelast Thursday pushing a baby stroller, anormal sight until an employee noticedthat they were stashing several varietiesof Crest White Strips under the carriage.They were able to fit 21 boxes, worth atotal of $1,025, into the stroller, then fledthe store. Now police are on the lookoutfor a couple with extremely bright smiles.