Painting caper
A thief — pretending to be a building super — got away with a contemporary piece of art worth anywhere between $19,000 and $32,000, police say.
On Mon., May 15, at 9:30 a.m., a Fed Ex worker was delivering the painting to 321 Greenwich St. in Tribeca when someone claiming to be the building superintendent signed for the package, which contained the painting.
The painting, titled “Calming Freshness,” by Harold Wong, was being delivered to a private owner in the building, who then reported the theft, police say.
Wong created the piece in 2000 and it is ink and color on paper and inscribed and signed with six seals of the artist, police say.
He is prominent in the art world, and in 2000, the New York Times raved about a Wong show with the now stolen art work.
“Contemporary painting doesn’t get more spectacular than some of the work in this superb solo show by Harold Wong,” the paper wrote.
Police had not publicized last month’s crime until Tuesday and are now hoping members of the public will help them find the painting. People can call 800-577-TIPS, post their tips to nypdcrimestoppers.com or text them to 274637(crimes) then enter tip577.
Subway robberies
A tag team of thieves worked together to steal a man’s iPhone, expensive bracelet and Beats headphones on the train — getting away with $1,600 worth of stuff, police say.
A 20-year-old male got on a downtown express 2 train at Times Square on Sat., June 13 at 8 a.m., police say. At the Park Place station, one suspect approached the Brooklyn man and stomped on his right foot — using that as a distraction to snatch the smartphone and headphones. His partner than grabbed the man’s bracelet, valued at $1,200, from his right wrist. Both fled.
In a separate subway incident, a 53-year-old man from Amawalk in Westchester County, got bumped and jostled on a busy northbound 5 train on Thurs., June 11 at 6 p.m., police say. A thief got away with both the man’s MetroCard and Metro-North pass, worth $410 together.
iPhone victim lures thief to cops
It is a case of adding insult to injury — someone steals your $800 iPhone and then tries to “sell” it back to you for $300.
That is what happened to a 23-year-old Queens woman, who had left school and realized that her phone was gone when she checked her pocket in front of 401 Canal St. in Tribeca on Mon., June 1 at 12:30 p.m., police say.
The suspect, 24, later told her on the phone to meet him at the corner of Broadway and Chambers St. with $300 to get her phone back. She contacted the police and the man was arrested.
Gang of quick shoplifters
It could be the quickest shoplifting heist in history — a team of 15 men stole $34,001 worth of clothing from a Tribeca store in under a minute.
The 26-year-old male employee of Patron of the New at 151 Franklin St. told police that the men were in and out in around 20 seconds. The group entered the store on Thurs., June 4 at 12:30 p.m. and grabbed pricey jeans, leather pants, camisoles, socks and sweatpants and then fled both east and west on Franklin St. The employee told police that all the men looked about 20.
$1,700 stolen from tourist
On Fri., June 12, a woman, 31, visiting from Upstate New York put her book bag down at around 6:15 p.m. on a bench in Battery Park (recently renamed The Battery) to take photos — maybe of the Statue of Liberty — and walked away, police say. When she returned, the bag was gone — and so were various credit cards, her Columbian driver’s license and $1,700. She told police she is unsure if there have been any unauthorized usage on her cards.
Cabbie robbed
A cabbie picked up a fare in the Financial District and ended up getting robbed by his passenger.
The taxi driver, 25, picked up a woman at the corner of Broadway and Cortlandt St. on Wed., June 3 at 4 p.m., police say. He allowed her to ride in the front seat with him on the way to her destination — the corner of Church and Fulton Sts.
The Brooklyn man had his blue leather wallet inside a bag on the center console. After dropping her off, he noticed his wallet with $400, debit and credit cards was gone. He told police that he had an unauthorized charge on his debit card. No word on whether the thief tipped him.
— DUSICA SUE MALESEVIC
