Crime Watch

by jerry danzig

Traffic Bop

On Sept. 17, a 51-year-old male traffic agent got into a verbal dispute with a 27-year-old man on the southeast corner of Canal Street and Avenue of the Americas. Apparently the younger man asked, “Why the f*ck you stopping me?” before arguing with and then punching the agent in the face with his closed fist, causing swelling to the agent‘s cheek along with a bloody nose. The assailant fled eastbound on Canal Street. He was identified and is wanted for assault on a peace officer.

FuhgeddabouditPolice reported this week that at least three people forgot their stuff, but thieves did not. In the first incident, at 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 6, a 32-year-old man checked items into the coat check facility at the New York Dolls club on Murray Street. Later that evening he left the premises forgetting his bag. When he returned the following evening at 7:30 p.m. his bag and its contents were gone. The items taken included a laptop valued at $1,100, wireless earphones priced at $100 and other items.

Then at 4:50 p.m. on Sept. 16, an 18-year-old female student was sitting on a bench on William Street with her purse on the bench next to her. She then got up and walked away from the location before realizing some 20 minutes later that she had left her bag on the bench. In addition to her Saint Laurent purse, valued at $2,384, she also lost a wallet, glasses and other items.

In the third incident, on the morning of Sept. 17, a 31-year-old woman left her bag inside the Starbucks at 180 West Broadway and did not notice it was missing until her bank notified her of possible fraudulent activity on her credit cards. She told police her credit cards had been used in multiple locations to make unauthorized transactions totaling $1,329. She also lost a wallet valued at $750 and other items.

Grand Street LarcenyPolice picked up a purse-snatcher outside a boutique hotel. Early on Sept. 17, a 32-year-old woman was having a drink in the bar at the James New York hotel at 27 Grand St. when she realized her purse was missing. She then became suspicious of a 26-year-old woman nearby and informed security personnel. A male security officer stopped the woman as she left the hotel and was entering a car, and he found the victim’s purse inside the defendant’s purse. Samantha Joseph-Pauline was arrested and charged with grand larceny.