February 24, 2007 / Brooklyn news / Police Blotter / Bay Ridge–Bensonhurst

ID thefts galore in Bay Ridge

By Matthew Lysiak and Michael Giardina

for The Brooklyn Paper

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68th Precinct

Two men had their credit cards stolen and didn’t know it until nearly $10,000 in charges had been rung up.

In one case, a 64-year-old man found out that $6,787.30 in unauthorized purchases had been made on his MasterCard — which he didn’t realize was missing until the credit card company contacted him.

The charges included lavish meals at Red Lobster and $250 in payments to Sprint among numerous other smaller charges made in December and January.

Another man’s credit card was stolen from his home, on Fourth Avenue between 72nd and 73rd streets, and used to ring up thousands in phony charges.

The 45-year-old man didn’t realize his Bank of America credit card was missing his until a bill arrived that showed four cash withdraws totaling $2,107.95 made between Jan. 17 and 24.

Cops are looking into it.

Car prowler

A phone was stolen from a car on Feb 10.

The bandit smashed the passenger-side window, and entered the 40-year-old victim’s truck, which had been parked in front of his home on 87th Street near 14th Avenue at around 11:20 pm.

The robber helped himself to a cellphone and $20 before fleeing.

Pushing perp

A man came home to find a thief cowering in the corner on Feb. 12.

The 56-year-old man entered his apartment on Third Avenue between 99th and 100th streets at 10:20 pm to discover the thief. When he tried to stop the would-be bandit, the man fled.

A Good Samaritan living in the same building saw the action and trailed the perp, losing him only when he jumped into a black Lincoln.

The neighbor did catch the license plate, and cops are looking for a sedan with plate number DTS-9516.

No property was lost.

Deadly promise

A woman got into an ugly argument with her husband that resulted in a bruised noggin and a frightening promise on Feb. 14.

At 1 pm, a married couple got into a heated argument in their apartment, which is on Third Avenue between 83rd and 84th streets, when the man hit his wife in the back of the head with a stick. She fled into a nearby liquor store, only to be followed by the angry husband, who took her wallet.

He made off with $500 and a Citibank debit card before leaving her with the threat, “I’ll kill you one day.”

Police are on the look out for the 45-year-old man.

Safe box stolen

A man showed up for work on Feb. 13 only to discover that $10,000 worth of cash and valuables were missing from a lock box.

The 51-year-old victim returned to his commercial building on 77th Street between 12th and 13th avenues at 7:30 am, and noticed that the rear door had been pried open and a safe box with $8,500, and a $1,500 watch was missing.

Police searched the area for the bandit, but came up empty.

62nd Precinct

Two-timed

Two neighboring homes on 80th Street were burglarized back to back on Feb. 18.

The first robbery was at around 12:30 pm. According to police, the perp broke into the home, which is near 19th Avenue, and stole more than $3,000 in electronics and jewelry.

A half-hour later, the same burglar broke through a side door of the neighboring house and stole jewelry, police said.

In both crimes, the thug fled without being noticed.

Gym robbed

In a twist on the weekly gym-time theft, a Shore Parkway sports club — not one of its customers — was robbed on Feb. 18.

The club, which is near Bay Parkway, was robbed at around 1 am. The perp sole more than $3,000 in cash and equipment, including, ironically, the security camera and monitor, police said.

The thug fled with out being identified.

Four days earlier, a member of the same gym had her car broken into in the parking lot.

She left her car parked in the lot at around 10:30 am, and returned to find her rear passenger-side window smashed. The perp took more than $2,000 and left without being identified.

Couple burglarized

A married couple left for work early on Feb. 16, only to return to find their Bay Ridge Parkway home robbed and ransacked.

The couple left at 9:30 am. When the husband returned in the evening, he found that the home, near 18th Avenue, had been broken into and more than $1,500 in cash and jewelry had been taken, police said.

Unfortunately, no neighbors witnessed the crime. The perp fled without being noticed.

Family follies

A woman whose uncle threw a party in her West Sixth Street apartment without her knowledge came home to find that she’d been robbed.

The 35-year-old woman came home on Jan. 28 at around 9 am to find $500 and electronic equipment missing from the apartment, which is near Avenue T.

The criminal had not been noticed by the partygoers. The uncle is in the doghouse.

Lost keys

A thief took advantage of a butter-fingered kid after the child dropped a set of keys on his way to school on Feb. 13.

The tot came back to his Bay 17th Street home, which is near Bath Avenue, after school to find the front door unlocked and $1,200 in electronics and jewelry missing, police said.

Motorcycle stolen

An 86th Street restaurant had its delivery motorcycle stolen on Feb. 14, cops said.

The restaurant, which is near Bay 20th Street, had the new 2007 red motorcycle snatched from right in front of the eatery at around 11:30 pm, police said.

The perp fled unnoticed on the shiny new wheels, forcing the delivery boys to walk.

Shopping swipe

Yet another stroller-pushing mom has had her belongings stolen.

The mom was shopping at an 86th Street department store at around 6:30 pm on Feb. 25 when her wallet and cellphone were stolen from her baby carriage.

The perp stole more than $50, including her credit and debit cards. The thief fled the store, which is near 21st Avenue, without being seen.

©2007 Community Newspaper Group