PETIT LARCENY: Clear skin, less than clear conscience | The presumably squeaky clean complexions of a couple of criminals belies their dirty deeds that wound up costing a Rite Aid (195 Eighth Ave., btw. W. 19th & W. 20th Sts.) a pretty penny. At about 11am on Thurs., July 21, two male perps entered the store, filled up two backpacks with loot, and left without paying. They took a whopping $225 of personal hygiene supplies including (in varying quantities): Dove, Irish Spring, and Zest soaps; hand sanitizer; Aveeno, Olay, and Revlon facial cremes; Aveeno and Jergens lotion; and Aveeno skin and eczema cremes.
GRAND LARCENY: A slice of crime | One woman wound up getting burnt during her search for a late-night slice on Fri., July 22. Her quest led her to Gotham Pizza (144 Ninth Ave., at W. 19th St.), where the 19-year-old left her $50 Dooney & Bourke handbag unattended on a chair. She returned to discover it had been taken. Her driver’s license and debit card were also lost in the process.
PETIT LARCENY: Hammer time, interrupted | The same unlucky Rite Aid featured in the first item found itself at the center of some more criminal shenanigans later in the week. On Sat., July 23, at about 1:30pm, a 46-year-old employee caught a thief trying to make off with two Smartwater bottles, and recovered the property. Channeling the Terminator, the perp swore to the employee he would be back. Indeed, he did return a short while later, wielding a hammer, and asking the cashier where the employee that caught him was. When the cashier didn’t respond positively to this line of questioning, he left — though after a few minutes, the 24-year-old returned with the same inquiry, this time armed with a curved metal bar. The upgrade in intimidation instrument, surprisingly, did not change the cashier’s mind, and the testy thief left. The authorities were called, and responding officers found the perp outside the store. The man fled westbound on W. 20th St., but he, and his trusty metal bar, were apprehended. The hammer though, described as having a “sky blue handle,” remains at large.
CRIMINAL MISCHIEF: Roof thrown stones | In a frustrating turn of events, a woman was but a stone’s throw away from a vehicular vandal who got away with wrecking the roof of her ride. At about 6:30pm on Sat., July 23, the 48-year-old was standing on the sidewalk near her Honda, which was parked on the 200 block of 10th Ave. (btw. W. 25th & W. 26th Sts.), when she noticed a few small rocks falling from above — one of which created a small dent in the roof of her car. While she quickly realized that these projectile pebbles were being tossed from the roof of the building she was near, she was unable to see who was responsible, allowing them to drive off into the sunset scot-free.
ASSAULT: An on-the-nose item | In the early morning of Sat., July 23, one unwitting man became the target of a turf ambush. A little before 6am, the 22-year-old Brooklynite was leaning on a traffic pole at the northwest corner of 10th Ave. and W. 17th St. talking on the phone, when he was approached by an unknown man, who told him to leave the area. The man didn’t pay him any mind and continued on with his conversation. Apparently, the stranger felt exceptionally territorial over the turf, because in response to the individual’s inertia, he punched him squarely in the face, breaking his nose and causing lacerations, and fled. While a canvas of the area yielded negative results, the attacker may have been caught on tape by the ever-watchful electronic eye belonging to the nearby Artichoke Pizza.
—SEAN EGAN
THE 10th PRECINCT: Located at 230 W. 20th St. (btw. Seventh & Eighth Aves.). Commander: Capt. Paul Lanot. 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 or other locations to be announced. They are on hiatus until Sept. 28.
THE 13th PRECINCT: Located at 230 E. 21st St. (btw. Second & Third Aves.). Deputy Inspector: Brendan Timony. 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. They are on hiatus until Sept. 20.
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.
