Crime Watch

BY MARIA ROCHA-BUSCHEL

Man busted for Rite Aide theftPolice arrested a 24-year-old man for petit larceny, menacing and possession of stolen property inside the Rite Aid at 195 Eighth Ave. Saturday afternoon. An employee at the store said that the suspect took a number of water bottles out of the store and tried to leave without paying, but the employee retrieved the water from him and the suspect said that he would be back. The employee said that the suspect returned twice, the first time with a hammer, asking the cashier where the other employee was, and after leaving again, returned a few minutes later with a curved metal bar, again asking where the employee was. The employee that the suspect originally threatened was outside the store conducting a canvass with police when they spotted the man leaving again. He was then identified by the employee and when police asked him to stop, he fled west on West 20th Street. He was arrested across the street from 441 West 21st Street and the metal bar was recovered from in front of 310 West 20th Street.

Men wanted for shopliftingAn employee of the same Rite Aid reported that two men stole various items from the store location on July 21. The employee told police that the two suspects placed multiple bottles of facial cream, lotion and hand sanitizer into black backpacks and left without paying late that morning. The value of the items taken was $225 and police said that the incident can be seen on video surveillance. No arrests have been made.

Man assaulted A 22-year-old man reported that he was assaulted at the northwest corner of 10th Avenue and West 17th Street Saturday evening. He told police that a person he didn’t know approached him while he was leaning on a traffic sign pole at the corner and told him to leave the area. The suspect then punched the victim in the face, breaking his nose and cutting him. The assailant could not be located.

Wallet stolen A 19-year-old woman reported that her wallet was stolen while she was eating inside Gotham Pizza at 144 Ninth Ave. early on July 22. She told police that she wasn’t bumped or jostled but she left her handbag unattended on a chair and noticed that her wallet was missing when she returned.

Man arrested for punching doorPolice arrested a 21-year-old man for criminal mischief inside the Gilded Lily at 408 West 15th St. early Sunday morning. Police said that the suspect punched a glass window in the bathroom door, shattering the glass.

Bike stolen from hallwayA 61-year-old man reported that his bicycle was stolen from his apartment building at 400 West 43rd St. July 21. He told police that he put the bike in the hallway of his building outside his apartment at 7 p.m. without a lock and when he returned at 9 p.m., the bike was missing.

Phone stolenA 50-year-old employee of Salsa Y Salsa at 206 Seventh Ave. reported that his cellphone was stolen at the restaurant July 22 at 10 p.m. He told police that he put the Samsung Galaxy phone on the counter and went to do work, but when he returned, the phone was missing. The victim said that he has video of an unknown person taking his phone.