Delivery devil arrested
A bone-head thief who used both her own address and phone number to lure Chinese restaurant delivery men into traps on Ocean Avenue has been arrested.
Police said that the 16-year-old girl called local Chinese restaurants on three occasions between Oct. 4 and Oct. 25, asking that food be dropped off on Ocean Avenue between Albemarle and Beverly roads.
But when the food came, her compatriots bum-rushed the delivery man, robbing them of their food and cash.
Detectives linked the thefts to the young girl after tracking down the phone numbers that were left with every order. Investigators soon learned that the 16-year-old lived in the building where two of the orders were made.
Her accomplices were still at large as this paper went to press.
Bullet bust
Cops have arrested a 26-year-old for a Nov. 2 shooting in which the wrong man was hit.
Witnesses told police that the suspect was in the middle of an argument with two men on E. 45th Street between Linden Boulevard and Church Avenue at 1:25 pm when he pulled a gun and opened fire.
He aimed at one of his opponents, but the bullet missed, striking the other man in the forearm, officials said.
Cops caught up with the poor shot this week, charging him with assault in the first degree.
Safe cracker
A 25-year-old thief was arrested after he lifted an envelope of cash from a Utica Avenue business.
Police said that the thief was seen walking to the back of the store, which is located between Linden Boulevard and Church Avenue, at 1:45 pm on Sept. 25.
A few minutes later, the man left the store. A worker soon discovered that the thief had opened the safe and removed an envelope containing $2,997.
Cops managed to track the thief down this week, charging him with grand larceny.
Bullets over Church Ave.
A gunman fired off a barrage of bullets on Church Avenue on Nov. 8, wounding one man and killing another.
The two victims were between E. 48th and E. 49th streets just before 11:30 pm when the unidentified gunman opened fire, hitting his 20-year-old victim in the back. A second 20-year-old man was struck in the leg.
The victim shot in the back — who was not identified by late Tuesday — was rushed to Kings County Hospital where he died.
The gunman fled and was still being sought, police said.
Wipe out graffiti
As the ongoing war against graffiti continues, cops are now offering a $500 reward to anyone with information that can lead them to the vandals that mark up the community.
The reward is part of the city’s new push to rid New York of graffiti, one of the leading quality of life complaints brought to police.
Anyone with information about graffiti vandalism in their neighborhood is urged to call either 311 or 911.
