Crime Watch

BY JERRY DANZIG

Park Avenue AssaultAt 1:06 a.m. on Monday, June 19, a 79-year-old man was walking on 61st Street when an unknown perpetrator grabbed him in a choke hold and pulled him into a stairway at 531 Park Avenue. A second perpetrator took a wallet from the victim’s pocket that held $250 in cash and credit cards. Police are still searching for the two muggers.

Amped Up and Taken DownA thief was arrested after being involved in two recent robberies. In the first incident at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 27, a 21-year-old woman entered the 7-Eleven store at 1453 Third Avenue and stuffed 16 cans of energy drinks into a bag before attempting to leave the store without paying. According to the police account, a store employee confronted her, when she pulled out a pair of scissors and said, “Don’t come near me, or I’ll smash your face with these scissors!” Then at 6:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 7, the same woman entered a CVS store at 1172 Third Avenue and tried to make off with 21 packs of bubblegum and 40 cans of energy drinks. As she tried to exit the store without paying, she pushed an employee, and once outside, bit a 31-year-old man who attempted to help the store’s employees hold her, before she struck the same man on the side of the face and knocked him to the ground. She was later arrested on Tuesday, June 27 and charged with two counts of robbery.

Lawdy Miss FraudyChanel bags seem to be all the rage among Bloomingdale shoplifters these days. At 3:05 p.m. on Thursday, June 29, three young women from Queens entered the store and attempted to purchase merchandise using fraudulent credit cards. These items included a Chanel bag valued at $750, another Chanel bag priced at $3,400, four Chanel bags totaling $19,700, and three more totaling $12,500, making a total stolen and recovered of $36,350. All three women were apprehended and arrested: a 22-year-old on charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property; a 17-year-old on a charge of grand larceny; and a 21-year-old on charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of a controlled substance found in glassine envelopes in her purse. Then less than hour later at 4 p.m., a 42-year-old woman from Queens also attempted to buy two Chanel handbags, each valued at $3,200, using another forged credit card. She too was arrested and charged with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and attempting to make an illegal purchase using a forged instrument.

Banana BanditShortly after noon on Saturday, June 24, a 53-year-old man entered the Shell gas station store at 1855 First Avenue and began eating bananas on display. He then knocked down some of the display shelves and tried to make off with other merchandise valued at $250. Police arrived, and he was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct.