Ladies’ handbags can’t stay still; Equinox fills the void left by Planet Fitness; and a thief makes off with a $700 vibrator. It’s this week’s blotter.
Alright, I know what kind of minds I’m dealing with, so I’ll start with the vibrator. I must admit that after reporting on the blotter for several months, the constant stream of iPhone and iPod thefts has sometimes gotten to be a bit much. So it was an interesting diversion to see this listed in the very first report. Apparently a thief broke into a car parked on Water St. in Vinegar Hill, and at first glance it looked like he stole a $1500 chop saw and a $700 vibrator. I thought: “What kind of vibrator costs $700 and why don’t I know about it?” Before I dropped everything and ran to Citibank, I re-read the report and saw that the vibrator in question was actually a cement vibrator. A disappointment to be sure, but at least I know I’m not missing much. Also stolen was a $2,000 Hilti laser, for what it’s worth.
Moving right along, a series of handbags and wallets were stolen all over the 84’s territory last week. I’ll start with the unlucky woman stuck waiting for a doctor’s appointment on Pearl St. last Thursday. If that weren’t bad enough (I always read Highlights way too quickly), she noticed her bag was open and wallet gone.
That same day several hours later, a LICH employee left her bag hanging on a hook inside one of the hospital labs. At some point she went to check on the bag, but it was gone. The victim claimed that at least 20 patients had passed by, but it only takes one to make off with the goods—in this case $80 and a NYS learner’s permit.
A house party that night on Tillary St. resulted in a stolen wallet after a woman took her eye off her bag for a minute. The swift-handed thief got her keys and wallet.
Two shoe shoppers were relieved of their bags as well last week. The first occurred last Monday at Baker’s, when a woman left her bag on a chair, went to look at shoes, and returned to find the bag gone.
The second occurred Friday at Payless, where a young girl left her bag under a bench to look at shoes, and returned to find her bag still there but her wallet gone.
A woman entering the Chase bank on Nevins and Flatbush was approached by a man who asked if she’d like to be a lucky charm in a game of 3-card monte. (Do guys still do 3-card monte? If so let me know where, I feel lucky.) She politely declined and went inside to withdraw money. When she came back out, a second perp grabbed her bag and made off with $1,000.
While walking near Nevins and Bergen last Sunday night, two women realized they were being followed just as the thug approached them with a knife and asked for their bags. He not only made off with Maybelline makeup, but also scored a Blackberry, iPod, Target card, Starbucks card, Puma card, and a copy of Running With Scissors.
Rounding out the purse reports, a Florida woman staying at the Sheraton on Duffield St. went outside at 2:30 a.m. for a smoke, leaving her bag on the ground. Before she finished her cigarette, a thief made off with her $600 Prada purse and $4,500 wedding ring.
A man went berserk at Lefkowitz Taxi Garage last Friday, throwing coffee in one man’s face and hitting another in the arm with a pneumatic air gun. He was arrested.
Sitting on a park bench Saturday night, a man was approached by a perp who asked for $2. When the man took out his wallet, the perp grabbed it and ran off. He got $17.
An Equinox customer left his $600 iPhone and $500 Gucci wallet inside a locker with no lock, and you can figure out the rest.
A man asking for a little charity proceeded to steal a wallet from Plymouth Church’s kitchen—then later returned to the scene of his crime. The victim called police, who found the victim’s driver’s license in the man’s possession. He maintained he found it on the sidewalk.
Finally, the manager of M&S Bargain Hunters on Livingston St. may have felt he wasn’t getting paid enough, because he robbed the store of over $30,000. And that’s this week’s blotter.
