Crime Watch

BY JERRY DANZIG

Knife robberyTwo young men trying to settle their accounts were set upon by a masked bandit. At 5 p.m. on Monday, March 20, a 15-year-old met his friend in front of a deli at Manhattan Avenue and West 101st Street. The friend owed the 15-year-old money from a previous transaction, and both youths entered 875 Columbus Ave., heading for the 13th floor, apparently to collect some money. The friend made a call and was then directed to go to the 12th floor. Both took the elevator down, and as they emerged they were approached by a masked man armed with a knife and wearing a black ski mask and dark hoodie, who demanded all their property. The bad guy grabbed their stuff and fled. The items stolen included a cell phone, a black wallet, a debit card, a dental retainer and a calculator.

Handgun muggingA West End Avenue resident was threatened with a handgun forced to withdraw cash from an ATM early on Tuesday, March 21, police said. The 41-year-old man was walking home along Broadway in the 90s about 2:15 a.m. when an unknown perpetrator followed him as he entered his West End Avenue residence. The culprit displayed a black handgun with a gray handle and ordered the victim to hand over his money. The victim said he didn’t have any cash on him, so the gunman commandeered the victim to the Capital One Bank at 2519 Broadway, where the victim then withdrew $300. When the pair left the bank the bandit told the victim to walk west on 94th Street while he himself fled north on Broadway. Police searched the area but couldn’t find the robber.

Man stabbed by girlfriendA woman stabbed her boyfriend in the stomach, puncturing a kidney, following a dispute, police said. The woman, who was not identified, was arguing with her 30-year-old boyfriend about 10 p.m. on Friday, March 24, at the corner of Broadway and West 102nd Street, when she followed him to his apartment at Amsterdam Avenue, where they continued arguing. The woman next took a kitchen knife and stabbed him in the left side of his stomach. She fled the location with the knife to a nearby train station. The victim was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital.

Arrest in shoplift and assaultA shoplifting incident turned violent on Wednesday, March 22, after a female employee in the Variazioni clothing boutique at 2659 Broadway observed a 52-year-old man enter and take a Dawn Levy hooded coat valued at $790 from the store before exiting about 6 p.m. She chased the shoplifter outside the location, but the shoplifter turned and started punching her. Police subsequently arrested Tyrone Blackson on Amsterdam Avenue and West. 101st Street a short while later. He was charged with robbery, burglary, grand larceny, assault, criminal mischief and trespass, possession of dangerous drugs and weapons, among other counts. The employee was treated by EMS.

Attack at parkA 16-year-old boy playing at Happy Warrior Playground at Amsterdam Avenue and West 99th Street was struck on the back of the head with a metal pipe about 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 23. Police described the victim as uncooperative both at the scene and during a subsequent questioning about the attack.