Category Archives: Police Watch

Police Watch: Men arrested for separate robberies at Albano Playground, Second Ave.

MAN ARRESTED FOR ROBBERY AT ALBANO PLAYGROUND
Police arrested 27-year-old Francis Kareem for an alleged robbery that took place in Albano Playground at East 29th Street and Second Avenue last month.
A man told police that he left a bar across the street from the playground on September 21 while he was extremely drunk. He said that he had no recollection of what happened after he walked out of the bar but he said that he woke up inside the playground with a bloody nose and realized later that he had been robbed sometime between 4 and 7 a.m., and his keys and wallet were missing.
Francis was arrested for the alleged robbery inside the 13th precinct on Thursday, October 24 at 9 a.m. and was also charged with grand larceny. Police had no further information about what connected Francis to this incident.

MAN NABBED FOR SECOND AVE. ROBBERY
Police arrested 35-year-old Douglas Coward for an alleged robbery in front of 489 Second Avenue on Friday, October 25 at 9:31 p.m. The victim told police that Coward walked up to him and punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head. The victim said that after he fell, Coward went through his pockets and took his property without permission. Shortly after the incident, the victim searched the area with officers and Coward was arrested nearby.

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Police Watch: Man nabbed for assault, Men arrested for assault outside Target

MAN NABBED FOR ASSAULT
Police arrested 29-year-old Maurice Rodriguez for an alleged assault at the corner of Second Avenue and East 14th Street on Tuesday, October 15 at 1:33 a.m. Police said that Rodriguez got into a fight with two other people, punching both of the victims in the face and causing a bloody nose to one person and bruising on the face to the other.

MEN NABBED FOR ASSAULT IN FRONT OF TARGET
Police arrested 37-year-old Ernesto Martinez and 36-year-old Adrian Alvarado for an alleged assault in front of the Target at 512 Second Avenue on Tuesday, October 15 at 5:05 p.m. A victim approached officers in front of the store and told them that he had been assaulted earlier that day by Martinez and Alvarado, who were still in the area. Police searched the area and arrested the two men after they were caught nearby.

WOMAN GROPED AT NYU DORM
Police arrested a 19-year-old man for forcible touching inside the NYU dorm at 25 Union Square West on Sunday, October 20 at 7:52 p.m. The victim told police that the suspect went to her dorm room to discuss a relationship, after which they both went into the staircase and he reportedly groped her. The name of the suspect is being withheld to protect the identity of the victim.

MAN ARRESTED FOR DRUNK DRIVING OUTSIDE PETER COOPER
Police arrested 24-year-old Michael Biron for alleged drunk driving at the corner of East 23rd Street and the FDR on Saturday, October 19 at 2:59 a.m. Police said that Biron was driving north on the FDR service road when he was stopped at a vehicle safety checkpoint that was being conducted at East 23rd Street and the FDR. Once he was stopped, police found that he had a moderate odor of alcohol on his breath, watery eyes and unsteady balance. Biron was charged with intoxicated driving.

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Police Watch: Man arrested for Stuy Town burglary, Man arrested for bodega robbery

MAN BUSTED FOR STUY TOWN BURGLARY
Police arrested 22-year-old Joel Torrens for an alleged burglary that occurred inside 315 Avenue C on Sunday, October 6 around noon. Police said that one of the roommates left the apartment and shortly after, another roommate who was still inside heard noises in the apartment hallway. When she went to check what it was, she saw Torrens allegedly standing in the hallway, and he reportedly took credit cards and jewelry from the apartment before fleeing. Police said that Torrens does not live in the building but no further information was available about how he got inside the building or the apartment itself. Torrens was charged inside the 13th precinct on Monday, October 7 at 12:15 p.m.

MAN BUSTED FOR BODEGA ROBBERY
Police arrested 50-year-old Edward Abel for an alleged robbery from a bodega at 315 First Avenue on April 23 at 10:50 p.m. A worker at the bodega said that Abel was throwing things inside the store, striking the victim on the arm, and he allegedly left the bodega with beer that he hadn’t paid for. Abel was ultimately arrested for the robbery on Thursday, October 10 at 8 a.m. inside the 13th precinct.

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Police Watch: Pair arrested for trespassing in Stuy Town, Teen arrested for 14th St. robbery

PAIR ARRESTED FOR TRESPASSING IN STUY TOWN
Police arrested 19-year-old Jose Lopez for alleged criminal trespass inside 453 East 14th Street on Monday, September 30 at 10:43 a.m. The victim told police that Lopez and a teenage girl entered the building by following a resident who opened the door at the location. A tenant called public safety about people in the stairwell and a public safety officer reportedly approached Lopez and the girl on the 12th floor around 9 a.m. that morning.

Police said that the pair then fled down the stairs to the 9th floor, where the officer was able to stop them. The girl allegedly said that she was at the building visiting a friend, but did not have the last name of the friend and did not know the address of the building she was in or the apartment number of the alleged friend. Signs posted along the walls of the location before entering states no trespassing.

TEEN BUSTED FOR EAST 14TH ST. ROBBERY
Police arrested a teenager inside the 13th precinct on Friday, September 27 at 12:15 p.m. for a previous robbery.

Police said that the incident occurred in front of 349 East 14th Street on July 14 at 8:40 p.m. The teen reportedly reached into the victim’s pocket from behind and the victim then struggled with the teen when he realized that his wallet had been stolen. Police said the victim was in his 60s.

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Police Watch: Stuy Town man arrested for filming friend

STUY TOWN MAN ARRESTED FOR FILMING FRIEND IN SHOWER
Police arrested 30-year-old Phi Trinh for obscene material inside 651 East 14th Street on Sunday, September 29 at 5:56 p.m. The victim told police that she discovered a portable charging device capable of recording video and taking pictures plugged into the bathroom wall outlet and pointing towards the shower and bathtub. The victim said that she confronted Trinh and found that he was in possession of pictures and videos of her in the bathroom on his personal cell phone and laptop. Police said that Trinh and the victim are friends and had no further information about the nature of their relationship.

MAN BUSTED FOR THEFTS, BURGLARY
Police arrested 54-year-old Alan Nimmons inside the 13th precinct on Monday, September 23 at 4:33 p.m. for an alleged theft that took place in an office previously.

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Police Watch: Girl arrested for stealing cash, Man accused of throwing urine

GIRL ARRESTED FOR STEALING CASH FROM KIPS BAY RESTAURANT
Police arrested a teenager for a robbery that took place inside Asia Express at 493 Second Avenue on Friday, September 6 at 10:25 p.m.

Police said that the teen, along with two other girls who weren’t arrested, removed cash from a nearby restaurant and fled the location. The victim then ran after the suspects, who dropped the money. While the victim was picking the cash up from the ground, the teen who was arrested reportedly punched the victim in the face, causing substantial pain, and grabbed the money from her before fleeing. The girl was caught at the corner of Second Avenue and East 28th Street on at 12:52 a.m. No other arrests have been made.

MAN ACCUSED OF THROWING URINE
Police arrested 42-year-old Michael Gordon for the alleged assault of a police officer inside Bellevue Hospital at 462 First Avenue on Thursday, September 5 at 12:12 a.m. A police officer said that he encountered Gordon at the hospital inside the psychiatric unit and the officer overheard Gordon say, “The last time I was discharged, I threw a cup of urine at police officers because I knew it would get me arrested.”

The officer said that Gordon then used the bathroom and returned with a cup of urine, so he told the nurses to remove the cup from his possession and told Gordon to drop the cup. Police said that Gordon then threw the cup of urine at the officer, causing irritation to his eyes and face. The officer then discharged his Taser and placed Gordon under arrest. The same police officer said that Gordon took a cup of urine and threw it at hospital security.

Gordon was charged with assaulting a police officer, an unclassified public administration misdemeanor and an unclassified public safety misdemeanor, as well as aggravated harassment.

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Police Watch: Teens arrested for theft, Man busted for assault with stick

TEENS BUSTED FOR THEFT IN FRONT OF BELLEVUE
Police arrested two teenagers for an alleged theft that took place in front of Bellevue Hospital at 462 First Avenue on Wednesday, August 28 at 4:09 a.m. Police said that one of the teenagers removed a wallet from the back pocket of one of the victims. The victim told police that he was holding his friend’s wallet when the teen engaged them in conversation when the teen allegedly pick pocketed him, and both fled south. Police caught both teens inside Asser Levy Park, where the victim’s wallet was recovered. Police said that one of the teens was in possession of the victim’s iPhone, as well as his debit card and two MetroCards. One of the teens was charged with grand larceny and the teen holding the phone and wallet was charged with possession of stolen property. Police said that the teens were residents of the ACS facility.

MAN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT WITH STICK
Police arrested 58-year-old Briuan Bissessar for an alleged assault at the corner of Second Avenue and East 25th Street on Monday, August 26 at 5:36 p.m. The victim told police that Bissessar struck him in the mouth with a wooden stick, causing him physical injury. The victim was removed to the NYU Medical Center for treatment.

MAN ARRESTED FOR TIP JAR THEFT
Police arrested 25-year-old Gerineldo Acosta for an alleged theft inside the Le Café Coffee inside 407 Park Avenue South on Friday, August 30 at 6:39 p.m. Police said that Acosta went inside the business asking for water when he allegedly stole the tip jar with cash that was on the counter.

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Police Watch: Girls arrested for robbery, Teens busted for trespassing

GIRLS BUSTED FOR EAST 13TH ST. ROBBERY
Police arrested two teenagers at the corner of Second Avenue and East 28th Street on Tuesday, August 20 at 11:07 p.m. for an alleged robbery that took place in front of 324 East 13th Street at 9 p.m. that day.

Police said that the suspect threw the victim violently to the ground and forcibly removed her purse. The suspects reportedly caused a bruise to the victim’s elbow from throwing her to the ground. When the suspect were searched, the victim’s credit card and cell phone were recovered from one of the suspect’s bras. The names of the suspects are being withheld due to their young age.

TEENS BUSTED FOR TRESPASSING ON SCAFFOLDING
Police arrested a teenager, as well as 19-year-old Ousmane Niambele and 20-year-old Thomas Mwakasala for alleged criminal trespass in front of a Mount Sinai building at 323 East 17th Street on Tuesday, August 20 at 3:47 p.m. Police said that the three knowingly entered the top of the scaffolding area in front of the building that wasn’t open to the public and continued to return there unlawfully after they had been told multiple times by a Mount Sinai security officer that they were trespassing. All three boys were charged with criminal trespass. Niambele and the younger teen were also charged with possession of a controlled substance and the younger teen was additionally charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

TEEN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT AT ACS
Police arrested a teenager for an assault inside the Administration for Children’s Services facility at 492 First Avenue on Monday, August 19 at 11:58 a.m. The victim told police that she was preventing the suspect from entering one of the rooms inside the facility so that the teen didn’t attack another resident. The victim said that the teen became enraged and took a broom from a staff member, then attempted to break a window by hitting it with the broom, but staff managed to get the broom from her before she caused significant damage. The victim said that the suspect then grabbed a chair and purposely threw it at her, hitting her in the left leg and ankle, causing pain and discomfort.

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Police Watch: Man busted for attempted stroller theft, Man arrested for assault of senior

MAN BUSTED FOR ATTEMPTED STROLLER THEFT
Police arrested 38-year-old Michael Monaghan for an alleged theft from Union Square Park on Saturday, August 17 at 6:08 p.m. The victim told police that a witness told her Monaghan removed her unattended strolled from the playground area in Union Square Park and proceeded to take it towards the Parks bathroom located on the northeast side of the park. The witness followed Monaghan and saw him allegedly remove property from the stroller, then alerted the owner that the stroller had been taken. When the victim arrived at the location near the playground, she positively identified the stroller as hers and the witness positively identified Monaghan as the person who had allegedly removed the stroller. Monaghan was arrested in front of 45 East 17th Street.

MAN ARRESTED FOR ASSAULT OF SENIOR
Police arrested 33-year-old Todd Lyons for allegedly assaulting an elderly man at the corner of Union Square East and East 15th Street on Friday, August 16 at 2:40 p.m. Police said that Lyons physically assaulted the man, who is in his 70s, by punching him in the face twice and also allegedly assaulted a woman while he was walking away. Lyons was stopped in front of 262 West 24th Street and was identified by a witness who was present during the assault. The victim refused medical attention at the scene and sustained injuries to the top of his right eye.

WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING CREDIT CARD
Police arrested 38-year-old Melissa Torres for an alleged theft that took place inside an apartment at 331 East 29th Street sometime in March or April. Police said that Torres, an acquaintance of the victim, removed her credit card from her apartment while the victim was in the hospital. Torres was charged with grand larceny inside the 13th precinct on Thursday, August 15 at 10:45 a.m.

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Police Watch: Woman busted for selling stolen guitar, Man arrested for forgery

WOMAN BUSTED FOR SELLING STOLEN GUITAR
Police arrested a 21-year-old woman who attempted to sell a guitar stolen from a Guitar Center in Midtown to another Guitar Center location in Union Square.

According to police, Zujey Benitez entered the store at 25 West 14th Street on Friday, August 9 at 8:45 p.m. and attempted to sell a white Fender guitar that had been reported stolen from the Guitar Center location at 218 West 44th Street on Friday, August 2.

Benitez, who was charged with possession of stolen property at the time of her arrest, was later charged with two counts of grand larceny as well when a further investigation revealed that she and another person who wasn’t arrested had also allegedly stolen the white Fender guitar from the store in Midtown, as well as a green Fender guitar from the same store earlier this month.

MAN NABBED FOR ‘FORGERY’

Police arrested 39-year-old Jason Lent for an alleged forgery on Tuesday, August 6 at 3:48 p.m. at the corner of West 16th Street and Fifth Avenue. Police were responding to a call about an individual trying to access a bank account with a fraudulent ID inside the Bank of America at 116 Fifth Avenue around 3:15 p.m. After police arrived, they found Lent nearby and when he was searched, he was allegedly in possession of a fraudulent New Jersey State ID and a fraudulent credit card. Lent was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

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Police Watch: Man arrested for ‘subway surfing,’ Pair busted for marijuana outside Peter Cooper Village

MAN ARRESTED FOR ‘SUBWAY SURFING’

Police arrested 23-year-old Isaiah Thompson on Friday, August 2 at 8:50 p.m. after he allegedly rode on the outside of an uptown 5 train in Union Square the previous Wednesday, July 31 at 6:35 p.m. Gothamist reported on Monday that witnesses alerted police at the station, prompting Thompson to allegedly flee into the tunnel. Thompson was charged with criminal trespassing and reckless endangerment.

T&V previously reported in May that Thompson was arrested for allegedly pulling the emergency brake on the 2 train and police were still investigating whether or not Thompson was connected to a number of other incidents in which someone pulled the brake.

Police said that in the incident this May, Thompson gained access to the rear of the 2 train while it was in the West 14th Street/Seventh Avenue station. He allegedly opened the rear door and rode for several stops on the outside of the train car, then reportedly activated the train’s emergency brake.

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Police Watch: Man arrested for thefts, Man busted for assaulting officer

MAN ARRESTED FOR MULTIPLE THEFTS
Police arrested 49-year-old Kenneth Henriksen for an alleged theft inside 125 East 15th Street on Monday, July 22 at 2:17 a.m. A bartender told police that Henriksen ordered several drinks from the bar and when it came time to pay, he allegedly attempted to use a stolen credit card. When the card was declined and the bartender asked how else he could pay the bill, Henriksen allegedly left the location without paying. Police said that he was found shortly after officers searched the area and was identified by the bartender. He was arrested for grand larceny, possession of stolen property and unlawful use of a credit card.

Henriksen was also charged with an additional count of grand larceny and forgery for allegedly writing checks and taking money from a business at 137 West 25th Street where he was an employee on March 10 around noon.

MAN BUSTED FOR ASSAULTING OFFICER
Police arrested 59-year-old Larry Davis for an alleged assault in front of Bellevue Hospital at 462 First Avenue on Monday, July 22 at 4:06 a.m. The victim told police that he was outside the hospital smoking a cigarette when Davis approached him and asked for one. The victim said that he didn’t have a cigarette that he could give him but Davis allegedly kept asking multiple times. The victim said that he continued to say that he didn’t have any when Davis allegedly punched the victim in the face, causing a cut above his eye and pain to the back of his head. Davis was arrested after he was stopped by hospital police.

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Police Watch: Pair busted for shoplifting, Man arrested for breaking MSBI computer

PAIR BUSTED FOR SHOPLIFTING-GONE-BAD
Police arrested 29-year-old Kevin Jerome and 34-year-old Dominique Lewis for an alleged robbery at the corner of Second Avenue and East 23rd Street on Thursday, July 18 at 3:34 p.m. Police said that Jerome and Lewis entered a store nearby and removed merchandise without paying for it, and when a store employee confronted them, Jerome allegedly swung his arm at the employee, pulled out a boxcutter and reportedly threatened the employee so that he could leave the store. Police said that Lewis also swung her bag at the employee. The employee wasn’t injured and officers found the two suspects at the corner.

Jerome was additionally charged with possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance after police recovered an alleged crack pipe in his pocket. The boxcutter was also recovered from his pants pocket.

MAN NABBED FOR BREAKING MSBI COMPUTER
Police arrested 30-year-old Cesar Feliz-Taveras for alleged criminal mischief inside 281 First Avenue on Saturday, July 20 at 1:36 p.m. Police said that Feliz-Taveras grabbed a computer at the location and allegedly smashed it on the floor. A witness told police that the suspect was mad at the service that he was receiving at the hospital.

WOMAN BUSTED FOR HANE ‘DINE-AND-DITCH’
Police arrested 25-year-old Kelly Raquel for alleged theft of services inside Hane Sushi at 346 First Avenue on Saturday, July 20 at 4:03 p.m. Police said that Raquel ordered food and drinks at the restaurant and allegedly had attempted to leave without paying.

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Police Watch: Man arrested for choking ex, ‘Drunk’ driver busted after crash

MAN ARRESTED FOR CHOKING EX
Police arrested 24-year-old Eduardo Huerta for two assaults that took place on Tuesday, July 2 around 7 p.m. in Union Square Park. Huerta allegedly choked his ex-girlfriend with the strap of her bag until it broke, also punching her and pushing her to the ground, causing bruising on her elbows.

Police said that Huerta punched another victim multiple times, causing bleeding and bruising. It was not clear how Huerta knew the second victim.

Huerta was arrested inside the 13th precinct on Thursday, July 11 at 8 a.m. and was charged with assault, obstruction of breath and aggravated harassment.

‘DRUNK’ DRIVER BUSTED AFTER CRASH
Police arrested 25-year-old Victor Osorio for alleged drunk driving at the corner of Third Avenue and East 22nd Street on Saturday, July 13 at 5:05 a.m. A witness told police that she heard a loud bang and saw Osorio’s parked vehicle in the intersection. She said that she saw Osorio exit the vehicle and flee the scene on foot, heading east on East 22nd Street. Police said that the keys were in the ignition and the car was rendered inoperable due to its condition. Officers who were nearby also heard the bang that the witness heard and approached Osorio to detain him. When they approached him, they noticed that he had a flushed face and bloodshot eyes, and was swaying on the scene with a slight odor of alcohol coming from his person.

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Police Watch: Teen busted for robbery from taxi, Man nabbed for wallet-snatching

TEEN BUSTED FOR ROBBERY FROM TAXI
Police arrested a teenager for a robbery at the corner of East 27th Street and First Avenue on Thursday, July 4 at 9:11 p.m. A cab driver told police that the teen entered his green taxi through the front passenger door, attempting to punch the driver in the face, and proceeded to grab money from the victim’s front shirt pocket and his cell phone from the car before fleeing on foot. Police said that the teen used to live in the Administration for Children’s Services facility at 492 First Avenue but no longer resides there.

MAN NABBED FOR UNION SQUARE WALLET-SNATCHING
Police arrested 25-year-old Peter Cangelosi for an alleged theft from inside the Union Square subway station at Union Square East and East 14th Street on Tuesday, July 2 at 9:10 p.m. Police said that on June 17 around 11 a.m., Cangelosi allegedly asked for a MetroCard swipe into the station. After the victim swiped him into the subway, Cangelosi allegedly snatched the victim’s wallet from his hand and ran into the station. The victim told police that he chased Cangelosi but lost him inside the station. When the victim contacted his credit card company, he found that there had been multiple attempts to use his card.

Police said that the victim viewed a blind photo array on June 24 and identified Cangelosi as the person who grabbed his wallet and Cangelosi allegedly identified himself on surveillance video from the station. Cangelosi was charged with grand larceny and identity theft.

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