Category Archives: Crime

Police Watch: Arrests made for Kips Bay robbery, office burglaries

TEEN CHARGED WITH ROBBERIES IN KIPS BAY
Police arrested 18-year-old Amias Bettis and another teenager for an alleged robbery in front of 344 East 28th Street on Tuesday, September 11 at 1:49 a.m. A taxi driver told police that he saw Bettis and the other teen pulling on car door handles and when they got to his cab, he confronted him about it. In response, Bettis allegedly raised his hand in a fist, thrusting it at the driver. The name of the other teen is being withheld because of his young age.

Bettis was later charged at the precinct for additional robberies earlier this month.

Police said that Bettis and 30-year-old Kimberly McNulty stole a credit card while they were inside the apartment of a relative of McNulty in Stuyvesant Town at 271 Avenue C on Monday, September 10 at 1:30 a.m. McNulty was arrested inside the precinct on Thursday, September 13 at 10 a.m. and charged with robbery and possession of stolen property.

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Homeless man beaten to death in Kips Bay

Sept13 murder seating area

Seating area on East 27th Street seen from Mount Carmel Place (Photo via Google Maps)

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested two homeless men for allegedly beating a third homeless man to death in Kips Bay at the end of August. Police arrested 42-year-old Joshua Sutherland and 58-year-old Ernesto Aparicio, who are now facing a murder charge in connection with the incident.

According to the district attorney’s office, a witness told police that Sutherland and Aparicio repeatedly kicked and punched the third man, who appeared to be lying unconscious on a park bench at the northwest corner of East 27th Street and First Avenue on Thursday, August 30 around 8 p.m.

A second witness told police that a short time later, he saw the victim on the ground a short distance from the bench and that Sutherland and Aparicio were still standing nearby.

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Police Watch: Naked man arrested for trespassing, Man busted for sex abuse at spa

NAKED MAN ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING
Police arrested 35-year-old Kevin King for alleged criminal trespass inside 156 West 15th Street on Monday, September 3 at 11:57 a.m. A woman told police that she saw a naked man on the fire escape of the building entering through a broken window. Police said that King, a Queens resident, was found inside the building without permission to be there and he was allegedly inside one of the apartments with the door locked.

MAN BUSTED FOR SEX ABUSE AT SPA
Police arrested 47-year-old Pei Tian for the alleged sexual abuse of a male customer inside Living Fresh Men’s Spa at 44 East 22nd Street on Saturday, September 8 at 2:44 p.m. Police said that Tian removed the towel from the victim during a massage and used his hands to intentionally touch the victim’s buttocks and genitals without permission. The victim said that he felt uncomfortable and left the room after the incident.

SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT IN UNION SQUARE
Police arrested 29-year-old Gerald Mosley for alleged assault in front of 4 Union Square East on Monday, September 3 around 2:46 p.m. Police said that Mosley approached a man who was walking down the street and punched him in his arm, causing pain. He also allegedly knocked the victim’s phone out of his hand, knocking it to the ground and causing the screen to the crack. A woman also told police that Mosley allegedly punched her in the ribs, causing pain. Mosley was also charged with criminal mischief.

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Woman mugged in Gramercy Park

Sept13 robbery suspect2
Robbery suspect
Robbery suspect
Sept13 Robbery suspect1

By Sabina Mollot

Cops are looking for a man who violently mugged a woman in Gramercy Park on Friday, August 31 at about 3 a.m.

Police said that the victim, a 39-year-old woman, was walking in front of 7 Gramercy Park East when a man snuck up on her from behind and pulled her to the ground. The victim, who was intoxicated at the time, sustained some minor injuries but refused medical attention. The mugger then ran off on East 20th Street towards Third Avenue with the victim’s purse, which contained her credit cards.

The suspect is described as Hispanic with a light complexion, 20-30 years old and about 5’8″, 170 lbs., brown eyes and long brown curly or wavy hair worn in a manbun. He was last seen wearing a white button-down shirt, tan shorts, black/white shoes and dark colored glasses.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at Nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

Five former ACS teens accused of robbing man on First Avenue

Administration for Children’s Services facility in Kips Bay (Photo via Google Maps)

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested five teenagers who used to live at the Administration for Children’s Services building for an alleged robbery that took place last Wednesday at the corner of East 30th Street and First Avenue, a block away from the facility.

Nineteen-year-old Jonathan Nazairo, 18-year-old Eahquan Cleaves and 18-year-old Amias Bettis, as well as a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, approached a man in his 40s in the early hours on August 29 at 12:05 a.m. Police said that Nazairo punched him in the back of the head and the jaw. The teens then allegedly grabbed the victim’s headphones and demanded his wallet.

Cleaves was arrested at the corner of First Avenue and East 30th Street, and Nazairo, Bettis and the two younger teenagers were caught at Second Avenue and East 27th Street after police searched the area.

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Accused burglar charged with stealing from NoMad nail salon, pole dance studio

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested a 57-year-old man for multiple alleged burglaries in NoMad since the middle of August.

Ricky Johnson, 57, allegedly broke into a nail salon at 25 West 26th Street on Sunday, September 2 around 3:50 a.m. Police said that Johnson broke a window in the back of the building to get in without permission and also allegedly broke through a wall once inside.

Johnson could be seen on video reportedly removing money from a cash box and was found to be in possession of burglar’s tools. Johnson was caught in front of 809 Sixth Avenue near West 28th Street shortly after the incident. He was also charged with burglar’s tools.

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Woman shot man on E. 27th St.: Cops

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested a 36-year-old woman for allegedly attempting to kill a man in Kips Bay last weekend, injuring two people.

Shateka Whitfield allegedly fired a handgun at two people in front of 207 East 27th Street near Third Avenue on Friday, August 31 at 11:15 p.m. Police said that Whitfield shot a man in the chest, as well as a boy under the age of 17, who police said was not the intended target. One of the bullets reportedly grazed the boy’s knee, causing a minor injury.

Police said that the young victim whose knee was grazed by a bullet was taken to Bellevue Hospital but FDNY had no further information about the condition of either victim.

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Thieves take bags from Kate Spade

Aug30 Kate Spade theft suspect2
Aug30 Kate Spade theft suspect3
Aug30 Kate Spade theft suspect1

By Sabina Mollot

Police are looking for three people who worked together to swipe $1,625 worth of merchandise from the Kate Spade New York boutique in Flatiron.

The three suspects, one woman and two men, went into the store at 135 Fifth Avenue on Monday, August 20 at around 3:35 p.m. and stole two bags, two wallets, a smart watch and a passport holder from a table display near the door. The thieves then fled the store in an unknown direction.

Security camera footage shows the suspects as a bearded man wearing a cap, a woman with dark hair in a ponytail and a man with short, dark hair.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). All calls are confidential.

Teens allegedly shot four people with BB gun from window at Straus Houses

Aug30 BB gun shooting straus

Straus Houses

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested two teenagers for shooting multiple people with a BB gun air rifle from an apartment inside the Straus Houses last week.

Rickey White,18, and a 16-year-old boy allegedly fired the air rifle out of an apartment window from 224 East 28th Street on Sunday, August 26 around 1 p.m.

Police said that White’s mother handed the black Daisy Air Rifle BB Gun to the teen and both boys allegedly told police that they used the gun to shoot at four different people on the street from an apartment. Police also said that the 16-year-old could be seen on video using the gun to shoot at individuals on the sidewalk.

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Cops say man tried to rape woman in East 13th Street building

Julio Mendez

By Sabina Mollot

Police are looking for a man who allegedly tried to rape a woman in a residential building at 620 East 13th Street between Avenues B and C.

Police said the suspect, who has since been identified as Julio Mendez, 43, approached the victim, a 46-year-old woman on Saturday at 11:15 p.m. while she was in the building’s laundry room.

While police said it’s unknown what the man’s relationship was to the woman, he has been known to frequent the building, Tanya Towers, which offers low-income housing as well as being home to an organization that offers supportive housing and other services to people who are hard of hearing and have vision impairments.

Mendez, police said, started talking to the victim and convinced her to follow him outside. He then grabbed her by the arm and neck and the victim, in her struggle to get away from him, fell to the ground. Mendez allegedly then covered her mouth and tried to pull of her clothing. The victim continued to try to fight him off as he sexually assaulted her, police said, eventually running off when the victim screamed.

The woman was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she has since treated and released.

Mendez is described as a male Hispanic, 5’6″, 160lbs, with an average build, medium complexion, short black hair and brown eyes. Police are unsure of where he lives.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

 

Woman charged with thefts from gym lockers

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested a woman for an alleged theft from the NoMad SoulCycle location at 12 West 27th Street earlier this month. Police said that 32-year-old Lauren Woods stole cash and prescription pills from lockers inside the locker room on three different dates between July 24 and August 17.

According to the district attorney’s office, Woods could be seen on surveillance video entering the gym’s locker room on Tuesday, July 24 around 6:50 a.m. while carrying a pink shopping bag. Police said that she could be seen on the video opening a locker and removing multiple items from a bag, putting the items in her shopping bag and leaving the locker room. The woman whose bag Woods allegedly stole from in this incident told police that two bottles of Adderall were missing from her bag.

The DA’s office said that Woods could be seen on surveillance video again on Monday, August 13 at 6:45 a.m. with a pink shopping bag and allegedly went into a locker and removed cash. The second victim told police that $180 in cash was missing from her bag when she went to check on it.

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Creep grabs six-year-old boy’s crotch at Union Square Barnes & Noble

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Forcible touching suspect

By Sabina Mollot

Cops are on the lookout for a man who groped a six-year-old boy in front of his mother at the Union Square Barnes & Noble.

Police said that on Wednesday, August 29 at 4 p.m., the man approached the victim on the second floor of the bookstore at 33 East 17th Street and grabbed his buttocks as well as his groin area. The mother caught him as he leaned in to touch the boy’s leg and his hip and when she confronted him, the man said, “I was trying to help him. I’m sorry.” He then fled the location.

The victim wasn’t injured.

Sept6 forcibletouching2

Forcible touching suspect

The suspect is described as black, 18-20 years old, about 5’8″ tall, and 170 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. He was last observed wearing a multi-colored short-sleeved shirt, dark jeans and white sneakers.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

Police Watch: Man arrested for office burglaries, fake Fed Ex worker arrested for package theft

MAN CHARGED WITH COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES IN FLATIRON
Police arrested 46-year-old Antonio Jones for alleged thefts and burglaries that took place inside 43 West 24th Street last weekend. Police said that Jones went to the fifth floor of the Flatiron building, occupied by Even Financial, on Saturday, August 18 at 4:38 a.m. and stole a laptop. Jones reported returned to the building the next night at 3:41 a.m. and took another laptop from the same office. Police said that he then went to the sixth floor of the building, occupied by Mighty Hive, and removed a computer from that office as well. He also allegedly entered the offices of Blackwood Seven on the seventh floor of the building but police said that he didn’t take anything from that office.
Jones was arrested inside the 13th Precinct on Tuesday, August 21 at 11:20 a.m. He was charged with burglary and attempted burglary.

FAKE FED EX WORKER ALLEGEDLY STOLE PACKAGE
Police arrested 48-year-old George Sciarrone for an alleged theft inside 69 West 14th Street on Thursday, August 23 at 8:21 p.m. Police said that Sciarrone was seen through a doorbell camera saying that he was a Fed Ex employee who needed access to 38 West 15th Street. He was able to gain entry to the building and police said that he removed a package there without permission. He was also seen exiting the building and allegedly opened the package and removed the contents. Sciarrone was charged with petit larceny and criminal trespass.

MAN ARRESTED FOR SMASHING DUANE READE DOOR
Police arrested 28-year-old Justin Benneate for alleged criminal mischief at the corner of Irving Place and East 18th Street on Wednesday, August 22 at 12:25 a.m. An officer was driving south on Third Avenue when he allegedly saw Benneate smashing a skateboard on the glass door of a Duane Reade near East 18th Street. Police said that the suspect then fled west on East 18th Street and when the officer drove around the block, he saw that Benneate was allegedly going inside Pete’s Tavern. The officer went into the restaurant and brought the suspect back to the scene, where witnesses identified him.

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Teens assault and rob cab driver in Kips Bay

By Maria Rocha-Buschel

Police arrested three teenagers for robbing a taxi driver in Kips Bay near First Avenue and East 28th Street early last Tuesday morning.

The victim told police that he picked up one of the suspects in his cab at Lorimer Street and Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn just before 1 a.m. on August 14 and the passenger asked to be dropped off at East 24th Street and First Avenue in Manhattan.

When the driver arrived at the intersection the suspect had requested, the teen reportedly asked him to go to East 28th Street. When they got to the second location, the suspect reportedly tried using three different credit cards to pay for the ride but the payments wouldn’t go through.

When the teen wasn’t able to pay for the ride, he reportedly yelled out to other individuals who surrounded the cab and tried to open the doors. Another one of the teens that was arrested reportedly hit the driver in the head with a water bottle multiple times and another suspect allegedly opened the passenger side door and stole cash from the center console of the car.

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Police Watch: Senior arrested for ‘extortion,’ Man busted for Ainsworth burglary

SENIOR CHARGED WITH HOLDING PHONE FOR RANSOM NEAR STUY TOWN
Police arrested 71-year-old El Shaday Yova for alleged grand larceny by extortion at the corner of Avenue C and East 20th Street on Tuesday, August 14 at 5:53 p.m. The victim told police that he left his phone in a taxi and when he called his number, Yova allegedly answered and said that he wanted a reward for finding the phone. Police said that Yova agreed to meet the victim in front of 321 Avenue C to claim a reward, and prior to getting arrested, the victim said that Yova refused to give him his cell phone back until he had the money. Yova was also charged with possession of stolen property.

SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR AINSWORTH BURGLARY
Police arrested a second suspect in connection with an alleged burglary at the Ainsworth at 111 East 18th Street that took place in July. Police arrested 26-year-old Hnsel Devron for the burglary on Monday, August 13 at 3:30 p.m. inside the 13th Precinct.

Police said that Devron and one other person who wasn’t arrested pried open a side door at the bar and entered the building without permission on July 12 around 9 p.m. They reportedly walked out of the bar with two bags containing property. Police did not have further information about what property was taken. The bar was reportedly closed to the public but still contained several liquor bottles. Police also said that technicians were able to lift fingerprints from the door and matched them to Devron.

Town & Village previously reported that 34-year-old Hector Rosario was arrested for the burglary at the time of the incident. Rosario was allegedly acting as the lookout while Devron and a third suspect reportedly broke into the bar. Police caught Rosario three blocks away at the corner of Union Square East and East 15th Street and charged him with possession of stolen property.

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