Crime Watch

BY JERRY DANZIG

Burglar BustedPolice have arrested a middle-aged man though to be responsible for multiple burglaries. On Wednesday, Nov. 2, a man in his 50s was picked up for burglarizing a number of residences in the 17th and 19th precincts, police said. The special operations unit of the 19th precinct identified the man after he was found making purchases with cards stolen from the victims of those burglaries. Detectives were helped by surveillance videos.

Slugger MuggerA man who viciously punched an elderly man is now off the streets. At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 30, a 35-year-old man was arrested and charged with the assault on an 85-year-old man, an incident that had taken place on the afternoon of Oct. 25th in Carl Schurz Park at East End Avenue and East 90th Street. A detective from the 19th precinct had distributed wanted fliers with a photo of the perpetrator. Two officers in the mayor’s detail recognized the man and took him into custody.

Blooming JailYet another Bloomingdale’s shoplifter was put behind bars. At 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 3, a woman in her late 20s was detained after she had been seen by store loss-prevention personnel taking items from a display and concealing them on her person. The items she attempted to steal included 5 bras valued at $410, 17 pairs of underwear priced at $452, and 11 items of jewelry priced at $579, making a total stolen and recovered of $1,441.

Badge BaddieImpersonating an officer proved a poor way for a man to dodge transit fares. At 2:58 p.m. on Oct. 29, a 44-year-old man was arrested after displaying a fake police detective shield in an attempt to get on an MTA bus at Lexington Avenue and East 86th Street without paying his fare. The bus driver became suspicious, however, police were called and the perpetrator was discovered to be in possession of the fraudulent badge. He was arrested on charges of criminal impersonation of an officer.

Pit BullyOn the evening of Nov. 2, a man in his early 50s was seen punching and kicking a 4-year-old pit bull on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and 65th Street. The unfortunate dog was screaming and yelping, and witnesses called police, who arrived on the scene and arrested the man on charges of animal cruelty. The dog was taken to the ASPCA for examination and adoption.