GRAND LARCENY: Gone in a Flash | A 36-year-old woman fell victim to a theft at Flash Factory (229 W. 28th St., btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.) in the early morning hours of Sun., May 22. She was enjoying her stay at the club (having arrived around midnight), dancing the early morning away, while leaving her bag unattended. It was during that period of time, then, that some quick-thinking thief devised a plot to plumb the depths of her bag, and had the opportunity to make a speedy getaway, before she returned to her belongings four hours later. The sticky-fingered, light-footed, still-at-large perp got away with both her wallet and iPhone 5.
PETIT LARCENY: Like stealing candy with a baby | Hopefully one mother pivoted a Mon., May 23 run in with the law into a so-called teachable moment for her child — perhaps taking the time to espouse the virtue of “do as I say, not as I do.” As a police officer was informed by security at a Rite Aid (282 Eighth Ave., at W. 24th St.) at about 3:30pm, the 31-year-old Brooklyn woman was seen placing a host of items in her purse, and then attempting to take them out of the store — all while her two-year-old daughter tagged along. The $40 motley assortment of items hidden within the purse included AA Duracell batteries, Häagen-Dazs ice cream, nail polish remover, a Seagram’s malt beverage, and a 15-foot extension cord. For her boo-boo, she was placed in a very adult time-out, as the officer on the scene arrested her.
GRAND LARCENY: The Lift of Pablo | A vase missing from ACA Galleries (529 W. 20th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.) appears to be the handiwork of someone who so desperately wanted a Picasso in their casa, they turned to a life of crime instead of spendin’ G’s. As the 60-year-old operator of the gallery reported to police on Mon., May 23, he last remembers seeing the $30,000 Pablo Picasso Cruchon Hibou vase on a shelf in the gallery in the beginning of April, and first noticed it missing sometime in early May (though he is unsure of the exact date). Multiple people had access to the gallery, and there were no cameras present at the location — making finding this lost 1955 masterpiece a task worthy of “Don Quixote.”
CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE: Horse led to jail | Sometimes, you have one of those days where you just can’t catch a break. That day was Mon., May 23 for one man, who was spotted by a police officer entering the premises of a parking lot (at the northeast corner of W. 37th St. & Dryer Ave.), which had been clearly marked with “No Trespassing” signs at about 3pm. The man, who did not have permission to be there and no ID on him, was arrested. To further compound problems for the wayward wanderer, during a routine search after his arrest, police found a small glassine envelope (cryptically labeled “Impact” with red ink) on his person. “It’s just a little bit of heroin,” the 56-year-old calmly assuaged the cops, attempting to diffuse the steadily escalating situation. Shockingly, this forthrightness did little to endear the man to authorities, and, in fact, further ensured his stint in jail.
HARASSMENT: Egg on her face |It’s a case that will take a genuine hard-boiled detective to crack: At about 7pm on the evening of Mon., May 23, a 20-year-old woman was eating dinner in the courtyard of her residence on the 300 block of W. 16th St. (btw. Eighth & Ninth Aves.). That’s when a rotten assailant decided to strike, employing a weapon of the incredible edible variety — lobbing eggs at the unsuspecting, scrambled outdoor diner. The woman didn’t find the unknown perp’s attack to be anything to yolk about, reporting to police that she felt annoyed and alarmed by the incident — though on the sunny-side, the woman did not sustain any injuries.
—SEAN EGAN
THE 10th PRECINCT: Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.). Commander: Deputy Inspector Michele Irizarry. Main number: 212-741-8211. Community Affairs: 212-741-8226. Crime Prevention: 212-741-8226. Domestic Violence: 212-741-8216. Youth Officer: 212-741-8211. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-924-3377. Detective Squad: 212-741-8245. The Community Council meets on the last Wed. of the month, 7pm, at the 10th Precinct. They are on hiatus until Sept. 28.
THE 13th PRECINCT: Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. Second & Third Aves.). Deputy Inspector: David Ehrenberg. Call 212-477-7411. Community Affairs: 212-477-7427. Crime Prevention: 212-477-7427. Domestic Violence: 212-477-3863. Youth Officer: 212-477-7411. Auxiliary Coordinator: 212-477-4380. Detective Squad: 212-477-7444. The Community Council meets on the third Tues. of the month, 6:30pm, at the 13th Precinct. The next meeting is June 21.
CASH FOR GUNS | $100 cash will be given (no questions asked) for each handgun, assault weapon or sawed-off shotgun, up to a maximum payment of $300. Guns are accepted at any Police Precinct, PSA or Transit District.
