Crime Watch

BY JERRY DANZIG

Blooming FailA man was arrested when he went shoplifting for winter clothes. At 6 p.m. the day after Christmas, a 28-year-old Queens man entered the Bloomingdale’s store on Third Avenue and took three coats and one hat from a display into a fitting room. Loss prevention personnel noticed that he left the fitting room with only one coat, and no merchandise remained in the fitting room. He was apprehended on his way out of the store, and the missing merchandise, valued at $2,250, was discovered in his school bag. He was arrested and charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

Barney’s StormingBloomingdale’s wasn’t the area’s only high-end department store being plagued by shoplifters in recent weeks. At 7:44 p.m. on Dec. 29, a 22-year-old Bronx man entered Barney’s on Madison Avenue and was witnessed by security putting a scarf on display into his right jeans pocket. On the second floor he was also seen concealing a shirt on his person and on the fourth floor a sweatshirt. Taken together the items are worth $1,365. He was apprehended and arrested on a charge of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.

Then at 5:10 p.m. on New Year’s Day, a 22-year-old Bronx woman was captured on Barney’s security cameras hiding a shirt under her jacket and concealing other items in her gym bag. She too was apprehended and arrested on charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property when she attempted to leave the store without paying. In total, the merchandize she attempted to lift was given a value of $1,097.

Petty PityPresumably a young woman won’t soon forget the criminal penalties for forgery. At 6:15 on Dec. 28, a 20-year-old Bronx woman entered the Chase Bank at 360 East 72nd St. and attempted to cash a check. Bank personnel became suspicious, however, and called the account holder, who confirmed that the check was fraudulent. Police arrived and arrested the young woman, charging her with criminal possession of a forged instrument and petty larceny.

Shopper’s RemorseIt is all too easy to lose track of one’s wallet when scanning grocery store shelves for bargains. At 5:45 p.m. on Dec. 27, a 37-year-old woman was shopping in the Morton Williams store at 1066 Third Ave. when she realized that her wallet was missing. She was out $100 in cash as well as $1,000 in fraudulent charges that turned up on three of her stolen credit and debit cards.