Crime Watch

BY JERRY DANZIG

Cell Phone TheftAt 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 19, a 15-year-old boy was walking to school when he was approached at the southwest corner of New Street and Beaver Street by an older teenage boy who asked to use his phone. He handed over his iPhone 5s, and the older youth took off with the device, police said. He managed to catch up with the thief, but who then warned him, “Don’t touch me; I have a gun. If you touch me I will shoot!” while he simulated bearing a firearm in his waistband. The bandit then fled eastbound on Broad Street, and a search of the neighborhood failed to reveal his whereabouts.

Tablet TakenAt 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 16, a 57-year-old woman left her tablet case in the restroom inside the Pret A Manger store at 350 Hudson St. When she realized her error and returned five minutes later she found that her belongings were gone. She traced her iPad to the CVS pharmacy at 298 Mulberry Street, according to the account she gave police. There she used the Play a Sound feature on the app and heard sound coming from a 45-year-old man’s backpack nearby. The man then left the store, and the victim chose not to approach or follow him. The items stolen included an iPad Pro with keyboard, three Social Security cards, three birth certificates, and a tablet carrying case making a total stolen of $2,000.

PackpocketedAt 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, a 28-year-old Baltimore man had just returned to Battery Park after visiting the Statue of Liberty. As he exited the park he stopped at the southeast corner of State and South Streets to watch a group of street dancers performing. As the show ended another man came up to him and jostled his backpack, according to the police report. At this point the man realized his backpack was open and missing was Paris a $300, €100 and a passport.

Van Break-InA parked vehicle is not a secure place to keep your valuables! At 10 a.m. on Sunday, September 10, a 35-year-old New Jersey man parked his black 2010 Toyota Sienna minivan in front of 36 Greene St. and went to work. When he returned to his van at 8:30 p.m., one of the windows had been broken and several items missing including a backpack, $20, scented oils priced at $250. The total value of the missing items was put at $1,015.

Hair Today, Gone TomorrowAn area drugstore will have to restock some hair restoration products. At 11 p.m. on Monday, September 11, a 35-year-old man took 20 packages of men’s Rogaine valued at $1,280, and 10 packages of women’s Rogaine priced at $350 off shelves inside the Duane Reade location at 200 Water St. put them into his bag, and left the store without paying, police said.