88TH PRECINCT
Fort Greene–Clinton Hill
Sweet-toothed swiper robs 7/11
A trio of sweet-toothed swipers allegedly stole a selection of ice cream and energy drinks from a Flatbush Avenue Extension 7/11 on Jan. 24.
The victim told police the thieves entered the store near Fulton Street at about 10pm and loaded up on Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, a can of Monster energy drink, and two cans of Red Bull, then tried to hustle out without paying. One of the thieves reportedly punched an employee in the face as they made their way out, causing a minor injury.
Cops arrested the three perps down the block on charges including robbery and felony assault.
Lunchtime louts
Some lout walked up to a man standing in a Fulton Street restaurant and started hitting him on Jan. 26.
The victim said he was at Crown Fried Chicken near Washington Avenue at about 2am when a stranger allegedly started hitting him with his cane, lacerating his forehead. Cops searched the area and found the supposed striker, though they did not arrest him, while the victim was taken to New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital.
FBI gets filched
A sneak broke into a truck parked on Classon Avenue and lifted a radio and a pair of sunglasses on Jan. 26.
Police said the truck was parked near Fulton Street from about 6pm on Jan. 26 to 8:30am on Jan. 27, during which time the thief tossed a brick through the window and made off with his prizes. Unfortunately for them, the truck and the radio belong to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who provided information about the $1,000 radio’s alarm and serial number.
Crypto cryer
A Clinton Avenue visitor was swindled into sending $4,000 to a social media stranger who promised to invest the money in cryptocurrency on Jan. 17.
Police said the victim was sitting in her friend’s apartment near Gates Avenue at 2:45 pm when she got a direct message on Instagram encouraging her to transfer money via Zelle, and that the mystery mogul would invest that cash in crypto. The victim did not receive a profit or a refund, and realized later that her Instagram account had been hacked.
Checkout line Chase
Some jerk lifted a shopper’s wallet as she waited in line at a Flushing Avenue supermarket on Jan. 23.
Police said the victim was ready to pay up at the Wegman’s near Navy Street at 4pm when she felt someone bump into her, but didn’t think anything of it — until it was her time to swipe her card, when she realized she was missing $300 and a Chase debit card. She later got a notification from Chase that someone had charged more than $1,000 to her card at a nearby Macy’s department store.
Punchy purse thief
A bold baddie stole a purse during an altercation on Portland Avenue on Jan. 25.
The victim told police she was arguing with a stranger near Park Avenue shortly before 11am when she set her Kate Spade handbag down on the ground. The thief grabbed the bag, which contained two smartphones, a phone charger, and a state ID card, and ran off.
Passing pickpocket
A pickpocket took advantage of a crowded bus to lift a commuter’s purse on Jan. 27.
Police said the victim was riding the bustling B12 at 10am, but didn’t think anything of her fellow close-packed passengers until she got off at Clermont Avenue and realized her small purse, which had been nestled in her coat pocket, was missing, along with cash, her food stamp card, and state ID.
Rudeness in the rideshare
A poorly-behaved passenger stole her driver’s iPhone as they sat on Grand Avenue on Jan. 28.
The driver told police he picked up his passenger near Myrtle avenue at 2:25am, and she asked him to change her drop off location. As he fiddled with his phone to make the change, she al reached forward and, pulled the phone from his hand, and hopped out of his car and into a waiting Black Nissan Infiniti.
Police impersonator asks for Bitcoin
Swindling is second nature to a stranger who impersonated law enforcement and convinced a Brooklynite to pay out several thousand dollars at Clinton Avenue on Jan. 27.
Police said the victim was home near Willoughby Avenue that afternoon when she got a call from people who said they were U.S. Marshals and an NYPD officer informing her she had been a victim of theft. The false enforcers told her to transfer $13,500 into a Bitcoin wallet for safekeeping, then disappeared, keeping the cash.
Pharmacy phantom
A lout allegedly attacked a pharmacy cashier while trying to rob the Myrtle Avenue store on Jan. 17.
Police said the brute entered the Walgreens between Adelphi Street and Clermont Avenue at about 6pm and approached the register demanding money. When the cashier refused, the would-be thief reportedly started hitting and punching her in the face. The victim didn’t back down, and the failed robber fled the store.
Officers later spotted the perp while patrolling the neighborhood, recognizing him from a photo the store had provided, and arrested him on charges including robbery and assault.
Rude rogue attacks pedestrian
Some jerk randomly attacked a woman walking on Classon Avenue on Jan. 19.
The victim told police she was walking along near Greene Avenue just after 9am when she heard someone nearby cursing loudly. She looked up to see the reprobate walking towards her, making direct eye contact. When he reached her, the alleged bruiser swung, punching her three times in the face, causing bruising and swelling.
Responding officers arrested the man at the scene while the victim received treatment from emergency responders.
Smoke shop cleared out
A Hanson Place store was robbed early in the morning on Jan. 17.
Police said a helpful neighbor called the store’s owner at about 11:30am to say it looked like someone had broken in overnight. When he went to investigate, the victim found someone had broken the gate and the front door of the shop, which is just off Fulton Street, in the wee hours of the morning, and hauled out an ATM, the cash register, business checks, lighters, and a box of cigars — all in all worth more than $6,000.
Truck break-in
A sneak-thief broke into a locked truck parked on Waverly Avenue on Jan. 18 and stole construction equipment stored inside.
The victim said he parked the truck near Atlantic Avenue at about 9am while working on a construction site nearby. Upon returning at 1pm, all seemed well at first — there were no broken windows and the victim was still in possession of the truck’s only set of keys. Once he opened the doors, though, he realized someone had managed to get inside and take a selection of Milwaukee-brand tools.
Overnight cable caper
A purloiner lifted a pricey piece of equipment from an unlocked truck sometime between last month and Jan. 21.
Police said the victim parked the company truck in a parking garage near Carlton Avenue on Dec. 23, and left it unlocked in the lot until Jan. 21, when he discovered someone had popped the door open and stolen a 50-foot industrial electrical cable.
Credit card creep
A crook got ahold of a stranger’s credit card details and ran up a significant tab early this month.
Police said a Fulton Street resident realized on Jan. 4 that despite the fact that his credit card was still stored safely in his wallet, some stranger had charged nearly $6,000 in just five days after first making a purchase on New Year’s Eve.
Super unprofessional
Some baddie stole a bicycle from Flatbush Avenue Extension on Jan. 19.
The victim told police he locked his All City Super Professional bicycle near Fulton Street at about 8:30am and left it while he went about his day in the neighborhood. At some point before his return at 5:15pm, the thief clipped the lock and sailed away on the bike.
Downtown pickpocket
A pickpocket nabbed a Brooklynite’s wallet as she walked in Manhattan on Jan. 22.
Police said the victim was at her home on St. Felix Street on Jan. 23 when she realized someone had charged more than $200 to her credit and debit cards — then discovered that her wallet, which she had placed in her purse before an outing the day before, had vanished. She reported that she had been walking near Union Square Park when someone had forcefully bumped into her, and, while she didn’t see the swiper’s hand nab the wallet, she believed that’s when it was stolen.
Ford-ing a new path
A sneak stole a 2013 Ford parked on Washington Avenue sometime between Jan. 20 and Jan. 22.
The victim said he parked his van on the corner of Park Avenue at 5pm on Jan. 20, and was sure to lock it. Just over a day later, at 8am on Jan. 22, he found his parking spot empty. Cops searched the area without success — but later found the car parked unharmed and unoccupied just south of Highland Park in Ocean Hill.
