Crime Watch

Blade DisplayedA knife-wielding thug held up two people in a bodega. At 10:55 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, a man entered the Ayouwan grocery store at 103 Church Street. Displaying a knife, he demanded a gold ring from a 53-year-old woman inside the store. She refused to give up her ring, at which point the thief then demanded money. In response, a 61-year-old male employee of the store took $750 from the register and handed it to the suspect, who then fled the location on foot. The bad guy was last seen heading westbound on Chambers Street. Police searched the area but could not locate him.

Rip-OffEver wonder if store cell-phone tethers deter thieves? Not this time. At 4:18 p.m. on Saturday, January 16, two men entered the AT&T store at 217 Broadway and stole three cell phones, ripping the security tethers out of the phones before fleeing the location on foot. The stolen phones were an iPhone 6S valued at $650, an iPhone 6S Plus costing $750, and a Samsung S6 Edge priced at $714, making a total of $2,114.

DeliverancePolice collared a bike thief. At 8:20 p.m. on Monday, January 18, a 40-year-old man working for the Fiat Café was making a delivery at 50 Greene Street. When he returned to his parking spot five minutes later, he saw a 44-year-old man riding away on his delivery bike. Robert Troche was later arrested and charged with grand larceny. The vehicle stolen and recovered was a black electric delivery bike valued at $1,500.

MetroCadOne pickpurse would seem to be a public transit rider. At 2 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12, a 43-year-old woman had her purse on a stool next to her in the Starbucks at 233 Broadway. When she got ready to leave an hour later, she reached in her purse for her MetroCard and discovered that her wallet was gone. Five charges soon turned up on three of her credit cards. All the transactions made were MetroCard purchases.

Aldo LowDid this ever happen to Carrie Bradshaw? At 12:45 p.m. on Friday, January 15, a 33-year-old woman was trying on shoes in the Aldo store at 181 Broadway. She left her bag zipped while she was trying on the footwear. When she returned to pick up her bag, she discovered that it was now unzipped and property was missing from inside. The items stolen were an Oroton wallet valued at $150, along with a green card, driver’s license, credit cards, and a motorcycle registration. The total stolen came to $150.