Crime Watch

Well-Shod ClodsTwo men from Brooklyn were injured in a scuffle over a pair of sneakers. At 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25, a 20-year-old man was walking south on Greene Street between Spring and Broome Streets when he was approached by five men. The quintet said they wanted to buy the sneakers the 20-year-old had just purchased. When the young man declined their offer, one of the men ripped the bag containing his sneakers and was punched several times. His companion, another 20-year-old, was injured when he tried to help his friend. The gang of five then took the sneakers and headed north on Spring Street. The sneakers’ now former owner suffered pain and swelling to his face while his friend suffered scrapes to his neck. A search of the area proved fruitless, but one of the thugs – Warren Rose, 19 -- was arrested on Feb. 27 and charged with robbery. The stolen sneakers were valued at $250.

Low-Life with KnifeA shoplifter threatened a drugstore employee with violence. At 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18, a man took items of merchandise from the Duane Reade store at 100 Broadway and attempted to leave the location without paying. A male store employee tried to stop the man, and a struggle ensued during which the shoplifter pulled out an orange knife and brandished it at the employee, saying, “Leave me alone!” The employee then allowed the suspect to leave and suffered no injuries. Police searched the neighborhood but couldn’t find the knife-wielding shoplifter. The items stolen included various Aveeno lotions, Cicatricure eye creams, microderm, and cream, Nexxus shampoo and conditioner, a Dove beauty bar, in all a total of $340.

Picture ImperfectThree baddies made off with a Port Washington man’s pricey camera equipment. At 8 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, a 30-year-old man was walking in front of 4 South St. when three men came up from behind him. As two of the men distracted the 30-year-old, a third man took the camera bag off his shoulder and fled on Water Street. The items stolen included a Nikon camera valued at $1,070, a Nikon lens worth $892, a Sigma lens priced at $892, a Nikon battery tagged at $90, a camera bag strap worth $178, an iPhone 6 valued at $535, and an SD card tagged at $40, making a total stolen of $3,697.

No TanksA moment of inattention cost a gym-goer her valuable watch. At 1:50 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6, a 46-year-old woman was changing in the locker room inside Retro Fitness at 1 New York Plaza when she briefly left her locker open and unattended. When she came back she found that her watch had been taken by an unknown person. The stolen watch was a Cartier Tank Française valued at $4,300.

DisengagedAt 2:30 p.m. on Friday Feb. 24, a woman left her hotel room in the Ritz-Carlton at 2 West Street so housekeeping could clean the room. When she returned just five minutes later, she discovered that her diamond engagement ring, valued at $40,000, was gone.