April 5, 2008: Vol. 31, No. 14

Two thieves pounced when two women put their purses down during separate shopping expeditions this week.

In the first case, the 35-year-old victim was shopping at an Eighth Avenue organic market at around 5 pm. She placed both her jacket and purse on the ground as she lifted up her baby. She then picked up her jacket, but neglected to grab her purse as well, cops said.

When she went back to check for it, it was gone from the store, which is at the corner of 13th Street.

The purse-snatcher got an iPhone, various credit and ATM cards, checks, a Coach wallet and a few DVDs — more than $1,000 in loot, cops said.

In the second incident, a woman’s wallet was stolen out of her purse as she shopped on Seventh Avenue on March 26.

The 56-year-old woman said she placed her purse beside her as she was trying on shoes at a popular chain location between Union and President streets.

When she went to pay for her new pumps, she noticed her purse was dry — the wallet, including credit and debit cards, was missing.

Wheely bad

One car was robbed and another stolen over two days this week.

In the first case, someone broke into a minivan on Eighth avenue on March 24.

The 38-year-old victim told cops he parked his green Toyota minivan in front of his home, which is between xxx and xxx, at around 8:00 pm. When he walked outside the next morning, he noticed the vehicle’s windows were all smashed.

The perp snagged $550 in cash from the car after causing over $800 in damage to the windows.

Then, in a separate incident on March 25, someone stole a car that had been parked on Garfield Place.

The 28-year-old victim told cops that he left the red Honda Accord between Fifth and Sixth avenues at around 10 pm that night, but when he returned almost exactly three days later, it was gone.

iPod iGone

A perp cornered and robbed a man as he attempted to enter his President Street home early on March 30.

The victim said he was walking between Seventh and Eighth avenues at around 2 am, but just as he entered his building, the suspect approached and blocked the door, cops said.

“Give me your iPod!” the thief screamed, thrusting his hand into the 25-year-old victim’s pocket.

The perp fled with the fancy nano device.

Bad medicine

A man stole a doctor’s purse from her Flatbush avenue office on March 26.

The 33-year-old victim told cops that a man entered her office, which is between Dean and Bergen streets, as she was examining a patient at around 10:30 am.

After politely asking for a job, the suspect reached behind the counter, grabbed her bag and ran out the front door. The bag contained $200.

Dischord

A perp tricked a man out of a fancy guitar at his Fourth Avenue apartment on March 24.

The 39-year-old victim thought he sold the $3,000 bass guitar to a man who provided two money orders. But when the musician left his apartment, which is between Douglass and Degraw streets, to cash the money orders, he found out they were fakes, cops said.

©2008 The Brooklyn Paper