MAN ON ROBBERY SPREE TASERS VICTIM
Photo of the suspect in Bhojan Inc.
The NYPD is still trying to track down a gunman believed to be behind to a series of armed robberies of businesses starting last November. In the latest incident, he tasered his victim, before fleeing with $1,800, seven cartons of Newport cigarettes and 29 lottery scratch-off games. This occurred at Two Friends store on 46 8th Avenue on May 4. The robber first pulled a gun on a store clerk before ordering him onto the floor. He then zip-tied the victim’s hands and tasered him several times.
Police believe that he is the same thug responsible for a holdup at gunpoint at Marim Candy Store at 381 First Avenue across from Peter Cooper Village. In that incident, on February 28, he made off with about $3,000.
The suspect is described as white, 40-50 years of age, approximately 5’8” in height and of medium build. He was wearing a black Chicago White Sox baseball hat with the word CHICAGO printed across the front.
Anyone with information in regards to these incidents is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting TIP577 and their tips to 274637 (CRIMES). All calls are strictly confidential.
UPDATE, May 9: Police obtained photos of the suspect, seen here, taken in Bhojan Inc. at 270 West 36th Street, where he went on May 6 around 4:10 p.m. to redeem lottery tickets.
‘PERV’ BUSTED AT UNION SQUARE
Police arrested 50-year-old Stephen Martinez for public lewdness last Friday at 9:47 a.m. inside the Union Square subway station. Martinez was standing on the downtown 4/5/6 platform at Grand Central, allegedly masturbating with his hand inside his pants. He then boarded a downtown 4 train and stood behind a 30-year-old woman, closing his eyes and continuing to masturbate until his penis became erect, police said. He allegedly continued this behavior from the 42nd Street station to Union Square.
CAMERA ‘PERV’ ARRESTED IN UNION SQUARE
Police arrested 32-year-old Karl Sholder for unlawful surveillance at the Union Square subway station last Monday, April 28 at 3:50 p.m. A 24-year-old woman was walking up the stairs from the N platform when Sholder allegedly followed her while holding his cell phone under her dress with the video camera function activated. The victim had no knowledge of his actions and told police that she didn’t know him.
ASSAULT AT BARUCH COLLEGE LIBRARY
A 29-year-old man reported that he was assaulted while he was in the Baruch College library at 17 Lexington Avenue last Wednesday at 11 a.m. He told police that he was studying when another man came into the library suddenly and started making a lot of noise. The victim said that he approached the boisterous individual and asked him to please be quiet but the man said that he wasn’t too happy at being told what to do and sucker-punched the victim in the left eye, causing a blood clot in his eye and a swollen left cheek. No arrests were made.
PANHANDLER BUSTED FOR ‘WEAPON’ ON F TRAIN
Police arrested 54-year-old Stanley Rawls for criminal possession of a weapon on an uptown F train at the Sixth Avenue/23rd Street station last Thursday at 11:30 a.m. Rawls was seen panhandling for change by shaking a cup, walking up and down the middle car of the train, and after searching him, police found that he was allegedly in possession of a sock with metal bars in it.
BAG STOLEN AT SLATE
A 23-year-old woman reported that her bag was stolen while she was inside Slate bar at 54 West 21st Street last Saturday at 2 a.m. She told police that she was hanging out in the bar and left her bag on the couch. When she returned to get the bag, it was no longer there.
BAG STOLEN AT ACE HOTEL
A 28-year-old woman told police that her purse was stolen while she was at the bar in the Ace Hotel at 20 West 29th Street last Saturday at 2 a.m. She reported that she was with friends at the bar and put her bag on the table behind her where others had done the same. Ten minutes later when she went to retrieve her purse, which contained cash, her iPhone 5, MetroCard and keys, it was gone.
PHONE STOLEN FROM GANSEVOORT HOTEL
A 27-year-old woman reported that her phone was stolen while she was inside the bar at the Gansevoort Hotel inside 420 Park Avenue South on Friday, April 25 at 1:50 a.m. She told police on May 1 that she assumed the phone had fallen out of her bag because it doesn’t close securely. She said that she called her phone the next day and made contact with a man who said that the phone was in Brooklyn and he would return it to the Gansevoort because he would like someone to do the same if the situation ever happened to him. However, the man didn’t mention a time frame for the return and the victim said that she has been calling the hotel every day since the incident and her property hasn’t been returned.
BIKE DAMAGED IN EAST AVE. C GARAGE
A Peter Cooper Village resident reported that his bike was damaged after he parked it in the garage at Avenue C and East 20th Street last Wednesday at 6 p.m. He noticed after returning to retrieve the bike at 9 p.m. the same day that it had been vandalized. No arrests have been made.
CHAMPAGNE ‘THIEF’ BUSTED
Police arrested 54-year-old Wilfredo Rodriguez for petit larceny that occurred inside Gramercy Wine and Spirits at 104 East 23rd Street on Friday, April 18 at 2:16 p.m. Rodriguez allegedly removed a bottle of Moët Rosé from the shelf and fled the store without paying. He was arrested for the theft last Saturday at 4:40 p.m.
MERCEDES STOLEN ON WEST 20TH
A 35-year-old man reported that his car was missing after he parked it in front of 36 West 20th Street last Saturday at 9 p.m. He returned to the spot at noon the next day and found that the car, a Mercedes Benz valued at $83,000, was missing. The victim told police that he left the vehicle locked and secure and there was no broken glass at the scene. The car is equipped with an alarm but computer checks were negative.
TABLET STOLEN FROM PARKED VAN
A 42-year-old man reported that his property was stolen from his van that he parked in front of 3 West 17th Street last Friday at 2:30 a.m. He returned to the commercial van at 3:50 a.m. and he noticed that his passenger’s side window was smashed by an unknown object and his Samsung tablet had been stolen.
HARASSMENT AT FIRST AVE. AND EAST 17TH
A 66-year-old man told police that he was harassed while he was standing with his car at the northeast corner of First Avenue and East 17th Street last Sunday at 4 p.m. He said that another man hit his car window with his hand, cursed at the victim’s family and made threatening statements.
MAN ARRESTED FOR THEFT FROM CAR
Police arrested 47-year-old Franklin Gaskin for petit larceny at the northeast corner of Lexington Avenue and East 27th Street last Tuesday at 10:35 a.m. Gaskin allegedly removed a messenger bag from inside the victim’s car without permission.
MAN PUSHED ON EAST 17TH STREET
A 60-year-old man told police that he was harassed on East 17th Street between First and Second Avenue last Sunday at 4 p.m. He reported that he got into an argument with another man when the man pushed him to the ground.
