Left gasping for air
Cops are looking for a mugger who nearly choked the life out of a 29-year-old man during a mugging in Bath Beach.
Police from the 62nd Precinct were told that the victim was nearing the corner of Bath Avenue and Bay 40th Street just after 1 a.m. on January 27 when the thief, described as a 18-year-old black male, crept up behind him and grabbed him by the throat.
“Give me your wallet,” the thief demanded. “You don’t have much longer to breathe.”
After struggling against the perpetrator’s steel grip in vain, the victim handed over his wallet, which contained about $40 and some credit cards.
Cops were asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward.
Calls can be made to the 62nd Precinct at (718) 236-2611. All calls will be kept confidential.
Cop car carnage
A lot of guys get busted for drunk driving. King Ng, 24, allegedly did it with style.
The allegedly boozing motorist will always be remembered by the 61st Precinct, especially after he helped put five of their police cruisers in an NYPD repair shop.
How did he accomplish such a feat, you ask? By plowing into the cars as they sat outside the Sheepshead Bay stationhouse on Coney Island Avenue, police said.
Officials said that Ng was taken into custody after striking the five parked vehicles with his Toyota Rav 4.
When surprised cops ran outside the stationhouse at 4 a.m. on January 31, they found Ng behind the wheel, apparently drunk.
Their suspicions were confirmed when he scored a .119 percent on a Breathalyzer test — well over the legal limit, police said.
Laundry lunacy
This guy wasn’t in need of fabric softener. He needed a mood softener.
Cops in Coney Island said that a 20-year-old man was arrested on Surf Avenue last week after he allegedly pulled a butcher knife from his coat and threatened to slice a man using a local laundry.
Officials alleged that Toni Polite — who was apparently anything but — walked into the laundromat near West 29th Street at 3:30 p.m. on January 28 and ran right up to a man he had a previous argument with.
It was there, in front of several witnesses, that Polite allegedly pulled his knife,stating, “Didn’t I tell you I was gonna slice you up?” to his victim.
Witnesses called police, who took Polite into custody a short time later without incident, charging him with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon.
Muffin menace
A 36-year-old alleged shoplifter was arrested last week when he raided a 20th Avenue grocery and then threatened to brain a worker blocking the door with a beer bottle.
Officials allege that Sergio Salas barged into the store near 67th Street at 10:20 a.m. January 25, demanding not only the money from the register, but the clerk’s wallet as well.
When the employee didn’t budge, Salas ran over to the shelves, taking two bags of mini muffins and a can of coffee, police alleged.
He turned to leave, only to find the employee blocking the door.
That’s when police said Salas allegedly pulled an empty beer bottle from his pocket, threatening to use it on the worker if he didn’t let him pass.
Fearing that he would make good on his promise, the employee let Salas go.
He didn’t get far however. The employee called police, who rounded up and arrested Salas without incident a short time later.
Acquiring acquaintances
A 40-year-old man was robbed of $3,800 when she had the misfortune of being introduced to a female friend’s acquaintance.
The victim said that he and the woman were waiting for this felonious third party on 26th Avenue near 87th Street at 3 a.m. on January 19.
When the man finally showed up, he was wearing a mask — and had a gun in his hand.
Police said that the thief forced him to hand over everything in his wallet before running off.
No injuries were reported.
Robbed in Brighton Beach
Ateenager was surrounded and robbed of his cash and iPod as he walked down Brighton 4th Road last week, officials said.
Police said that he was nearing Brighton 4th Street at 12:15 p.m. on January 27 when six young toughs approached him.
Encircling their victim, the thieves forced the teen to hand over his wallet, said police. They reportedly removed the cash and handed the wallet back before wresting the iPod from his victim’s hand. No injuries were reported.
Responding officers arrested one of the six thieves after a brief search.
That alleged thief, identified as 16-year-old Safael Olloa, was charged with robbery in the second degree, grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, officials said.
Fur fiends sought
Over $250,000 in pricey furs were stolen from Manzari Fur & Leathers, 1696 86th Street, last week, area cops said.
Workers at the clothing store said that someone propped up the security gate sometime after closing at 8 p.m. on January 24 and smashed a glass front door.
The thief then fled with 160 mink coats from the store’s inventory.
Cops were trying to track down the thief as this paper went to press.
Brigham St. home invasion
Cops are looking for a pair of masked thieves who forced their way into a Brigham Street home and began choking a 26-year-old man during a failed robbery attempt.
Police said that the unidentified males pushed in the front door of the home at 9:50 p.m. on January 18, surprising a young tenant inside.
One of the thieves began throttling the victim, claiming to have a gun.
They apparently didn’t suspect that their victim would fight back, officials said.
After a brief struggle, the thieves fled empty handed. They were last seen running toward Shore Parkway.
Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward.
Calls can be made to the 61st Precinct at (718) 627-6611. All calls will be kept confidential.
Stabbed over phone
A 16-year-old was stabbed in the back during a furious exchange with a mugger inside an Ocean Avenue apartment building last week, officials said.
The victim told police that he had entered the lobby of the building at 3:20 p.m. when the would-be mugger, who he knows from James Madison High School confronted him.
“My phone is off, give me yours,” the thug demanded.
When the victim refused, the other teen pulled a knife and attacked, officials said.
The victim suffered a stab wound to the back and leg. He also suffered a broken nose when the teenage terror punched him in the face and ran off with his phone.
Cops were still looking for the teen as this paper went to press.
