September 29, 2007 / News / Police Blotter / Bay Ridge–Bensonhurst

Thieves strike apartment building thrice in one day

By Matthew Lysiak and Michael Giardina

for The Brooklyn Paper

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These crooks had their work cut out for them on Sept. 20.

That’s because over the span of three hours they managed to ransack three apartments, all within the same Ovington Avenue building, making off with more than $5,000 worth of goods.

The team first struck at around 4:30 pm. The victim told cops that he returned to discover his front door was opened and his apartment, which is near Ridge Boulevard, had been looted of pricey jewelry.

This heist netted the bandits $550 worth of gold rings. But that apparently wasn’t enough for these greedy thieves.

An hour later, the prowlers struck again. In this instance, a 32-year old victim told cops that her front door had been pried open and her bedroom and den ransacked.

This snag proved even more lucrative than the first, netting the robbers $4,360, and a video camera, which was valued at $500, according to police.

But these neighborly villains weren’t finished yet, although apparently their luck was.

They struck a third apartment an hour later, but the 37-year-old resident man told cops that his apartment had been looted, but nothing was stolen.

Cell bandit

A woman’s cellphone was stolen out of her hand while she was walking on 79th Street on Sept. 20.

The heist went down at around 4:30 pm as the 18-year-old victim was nearing Fourth Avenue. She told cops that a man ran up to her, grabbed her phone, and ran towards Third Avenue.

Purse swipe

A woman had her purse swiped right out of her hands while she was walking on 77th Street on Sept. 22.

The swiper struck at around 2 pm, when the 60-year-old victim was nearing Fourth Avenue. He came up from behind, grabbed the purse, and hopped into a red sedan that sped off.

The purse held $800.

Prey on senior

Two women fooled an old lady into letting them into her West Eighth Street on Sept. 22, after the duo offered to help her carry her bags.

The 93-year-old was returning to her home, which is near Avenue O, at around 3:30 pm. She noticed the two women, who she thought she knew, and began to talk with them. They offered to help her and all three walked into the home.

One of the perps distracted the woman, while the other searched the home. The victim noticed that $400, and her jewelry was stolen after the thieves left, police said.

The two scammers haven’t been caught.

Drive-by

A delivery man driving on Avenue P was beaten and robbed by another driver while waiting at a red light near West 10th on Sept. 21.

The 29-year-old victim was stopped, when a car pulled up alongside him. The perp got out of the vehicle walked up to the car and preceded to punch him. The thug demanded his cash and cell phone, but was only able to swipe $195 during the scuffle, police said.

The perp jumped back into his black Chrysler four door sedan and sped through three red lights towards Bay Parkway.

Check problems

A business owner had his cash robbed at gun point after exiting a Western Union on 84th Street on Sept. 21.

The 41-year-old contracting company owner was approached by two thugs near Stillwell Avenue at 11:55 am. The first perp demanded, “Give me everything you got,” and pulled out the black pistol, while the second perp stood as lookout. The owner forked over the $6,000 and watched as the perps fled down 24th Avenue, police said.

The cash that was stolen was for the payroll of his business.

Two timed

Two Bensonhurst residents had their apartments robbed of cash and jewelry on Sept. 18.

The first break-in was within a West Ninth Street apartment at around 9:15 am. The perps broke into the apartment, which is near Avenue P, gaining entry through a rear window. They swiped $1,200, electronics and jewelry, police said.

The second break-in was within a 76th Street apartment, which is near 16th Avenue. The thugs broke in at around 10:50 am, through a side window, and stole $2,000, including some electronics and jewelry police said.

Unfortunately, there were no witnesses to the break-ins. No word yet from the 62nd precinct if the two incidents were related.

Wedding gift

A man’s West Fourth Street apartment was burglarized while he was attending his daughters wedding on Sept. 17.

The 66-year-old returned to his apartment, which is near Avenue P, at around 5 pm. He found a kitchen window and a rear door open, along with $10,000 and his jewelry stolen, police said.

There were no witnesses.

Delivery debacle

A Chinese food delivery man was beaten and robbed by two punks that bum rushed him within the lobby of a Bay 16th Street lobby on Sept. 17.

The victim entered the lobby of the building, which is near Benson Avenue, and saw a woman waiting for her food. She gave him $4 and went back to her apartment to get more money. At around 9 pm, the two thugs entered the lobby, and started to punch, and beat the victim from behind.

The perps searched his pockets and swiped his cash, a cellphone and $42 worth of Chinese food, police said.

Purse grab

A woman had her purse swiped by a black hooded thug while walking on Bay 11th Street on Sept. 17.

The 51-year-old was near 86th Street, when at around 10:25 pm, the perp approached her. The mild-mannered thief stopped the woman and simply swiped the pocketbook off her shoulder. He ran off with $590, including her credit cards, police swipe.

The victim wasn’t injured during the incident.

©2007 The Brooklyn Paper