Crime Watch

BY MARIA ROCHA-BUSCHEL

Party takes limo for joyride through ChelseaA limo driver told police that his limo was stolen from the northwest corner of West 15th Street and Eighth Avenue by a group of people he picked up Sunday, Nov. 22 at 5 a.m. He told police that he picked up 10 people at West 13th Street and Hudson Street and when he was about to drop them off, one of the passengers tried to pay with a credit card that was declined. The driver brought the party to a Chase ATM at West 15th Street and Eighth Avenue. The driver went into the ATM with three of the suspects, including the passenger whose card had been declined, but the three suspects then fled the bank. The victim told police that the suspects got back into the limo with the passenger whose card was declined driving. The limo was spotted at Canal Street and Bowery around 5:30 a.m. and was later recovered in front of 66 Essex St. All 10 partyers suspects had fled and the driver said that the front seats and the radio were damaged. Police said that there was camera footage available from the Chase at West 15th and Eighth Avenue, but no arrests have been made.

Man arrested for stolen iPhonePolice arrested a 55-year-old man for grand larceny in front of Club Tao at 369 West 16th St. Sunday, Nov. 22 at 3 a.m. The victim told police that she was outside the club waiting to get in around 12:35 a.m. and realized shortly after entering the club that her wallet had been stolen from her purse. Police used the Find My iPhone app in conjunction with a canvass and the suspect was arrested shortly after the incident.

Phone snatched at Highline BallroomA 19-year-old woman reported that her phone was snatched while she was at the bar inside the Highline Ballroom at 437 West 16th St. Sunday, Nov. 22 at 2:42 a.m. She told police that a man she didn’t know came up behind her out of nowhere and grabbed her phone out of her hand. She said that she couldn’t give a description of the suspect because the bar was crowded and she didn’t see him clearly. Police said the phone could not be tracked because it was turned off. No arrests have been made.

Hit-and-run at 11th and West 34thThree people reported that they were involved in a motor vehicle accident caused by a cab driver who fled the scene at the northeast corner of West 34th Street and 11th Avenue Saturday, Nov. 21 at 5:15 a.m. The first victim told police that he was rear-ended by the cab while stopped at a light and the other two drivers involved complained of back and neck pain as a result of the collision. None of the victims had any other information about the suspect except that he was driving a yellow cab.

Wallet stolen outside PHD LoungeA 22-year-old woman reported that her wallet was stolen while she was in front of PHD Lounge at 355 West 16th St. Sunday, Nov. 22 at 3 a.m. She told police that she was leaving the lounge and felt someone reach into her purse and remove her wallet. She said that she then confronted the suspect who told her that he didn’t take it, then ran east on West 16th Street. The victim’s friend said that she also saw the suspect reach into her bag but it was closed.

Bag stolen from Holy Apostles soup kitchenA 26-year-old woman reported that her purse was stolen while she was inside the management offices of the church at 296 Ninth Ave. Friday, Nov. 20 around 11:15 a.m. She told police that she put her purse on a chair and walked away. When she returned about 15 minutes later, the purse had been removed. She later found that her credit card had been used. She told police that her purse contained her iPhone 6S, wallet, a jacket, her driver’s license and her health insurance card.