February 16, 2008: Vol. 31, No. 7

A woman who took a long vacation returned to her St. Marks Place apartment to find that a burglar had stolen more than $5,000 in electronics, cash and compact discs.

The 34-year-old told cops that she was away between Jan. 7 and Feb. 3 — during which time a thief or thieves broke in through a rear window and swiped $250, $85 in coins, a laptop computer, an earring and necklace set, and a CD case containing hundreds of discs from the apartment, which is between Fourth and Fifth avenues.

Burg on Fourth

A thief who raided a Fourth Avenue apartment on Feb. 7 left with more than $7,000 in top-end electronic equipment, police said.

The 25-year-old tenant in the unit, which is between Second and Third streets, told cops that no one was in the apartment between 2:30 and 10 pm.

When she returned, she found that her two Mac laptops, her Dell laptop, her two digital cameras, and a fancy camera lens had been swiped.

Human ATM

A man robbed another man who had just taken money from an ATM at the corner of Bergen Street and Fourth Avenue on Feb. 8.

The 57-year-old victim had withdrawn $100 from the cash machine at 6:10 pm when the mugger crept up behind and said, “Give me your money or I’ll shoot.”

The man relinquished his cash and the mugger fled.

Door jam

A driver returned to his fancy Toyota Highlander on Feb. 9 to find that someone had stolen the driver’s-side door.

The man told cops that he had parked the SUV on Prospect Park West, between 12th and 13th streets, at around 7 pm on Feb. 8.

When he went back to retrieve the car, all he saw was broken glass and a keychain on the front seat with “Vaccaro Brothers Scrap Metal” written on the bob.

Police estimated that the door of a Highlander is worth $3,500.

Slash ’n’ burn

A woman was slashed with a boxcutter after a dispute in a Fifth Avenue bodega turned violent on Feb. 9.

The 27-year-old victim told cops that she had entered the deli, which is at Fifth Street, with a group of gal-pals at around 5 pm.

A second group of women entered and, within minutes, an argument broke out.

At some point, a woman in the second group pulled out an orange boxcutter and slashed the victim on her right forearm and waist, though no stitches were required.

Con Jay

A thief stole a laptop computer and a digital projector from a classroom in the John Jay HS building on Seventh Avenue.

A teacher in the school, which is between Fourth and Fifth streets, told police that the equipment was secure when she last saw it after school on Feb. 6. But when she checked on it again at 9 am on Feb. 8, it was gone.

The teacher said the equipment was valued at $1,800.

10th St. mug

More details have emerged about a harrowing knifepoint mugging on 10th Street on Feb. 7.

According to the police report, the 37-year-old victim had just reached his doorway, which is between Seventh and Eighth avenues, at around 6:15 pm when a man ran over and flashed a silver knife.

The man dropped his Brooklyn Industries bag — which contained an IBM laptop — and the perp grabbed it and rushed into the F-train station at Eighth Avenue.

The victim described the knife-wielding thug as a 6-foot-2, 220-pound black teenager with short hair and a moustache.

©2008 The Brooklyn Paper