88TH PRECINCT
Fort Greene–Clinton Hill
Left-side lifters
A pair of thieves got away with less than what they wanted when they robbed a man on St. Edwards Street on Feb. 1.
Police said the victim was walking home near Park Avenue at 8:43pm and noticed there were two men walking behind him. He walked into the lobby of his apartment building and heard a knock behind him. He opened the door for the two louts, not realizing their intentions. One of the men grabbed the victim while the other tried to take his phone out of his hands, but, in the end, they only managed to grab his left AirPod.
Smart phone swiped
A couple of rogues stole a smart phone and headphones on DeKalb Avenue on Feb. 1.
The victim told police he near Fort Greene Place just after 8pm when two men approached him and demanded he hand over his valuables, and one of the muggers flashed a small knife. They took his iPhone and Beats Pro airbuds and made the man give up his phone’s passcode. Once the phone was unlocked, they sent a text to an unknown number and disappeared.
Garb grabber
Some brigand robbed someone for their backpack and work uniform on S Portland Avenue on Feb. 2.
It was about 6:30 pm when the victim was approached by a stranger near Fulton Street, police said, who hit the victim with an unknown item, knocking his Nike bookbag to the ground. The robber picked up the bag and ran toward Hanson Place.
Built different?
Two pirates teamed up to steal cash and cards on Adelphi Street on Feb. 1.
Police said the victim was walking down the street near Myrtle Avenue at 9pm when two men walked up to him, showed a knife, and demanded he hand over his property. Without giving him time to respond, one of the rustlers said “I’m built different,” and forcibly grabbed $20 and a credit card.
Officer assault
An angry driver assaulted the New York City Police Department traffic officer who ticketed him on Fort Greene Place on Feb. 4.
The victim said she wrote a ticket for a double-parked vehicle near Fulton Street just after 9am and walked down the block. The malefactor motorist followed her and struck up a conversation, then started attacking her, punching her in the face and pushing her into a car before getting behind her and wrapping his arms around her neck, causing bruising.
Construction site break-in
A sneak-thief stole expensive construction equipment from a locked worksite on Myrtle Avenue sometime between Jan. 28 and 31.
Police said the victim, a worker with Capstone Construction, secured the site between Hall and Ryerson streets and headed home at 4pm on Jan. 28, a Friday. Early on Monday morning, the project was brought to a halt when he returned and found that someone had clipped the chain and packed up more than $12,000 in drills, saws, and jackhammers.
Temple invader caught
A burglar allegedly tried to steal an array of clothes and equipment from the Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Clermont Avenue on Feb. 3.
The victim called police to report that a robber entered the building unlawfully just after 7pm and broke the padlocks on several lockers, gathering up the contents of each. The sneak was caught standing behind a door with an armful of liquor, religious regalia, clothes, a radio, and a grinder.
Officers arrested the man on the scene.
Cigarette break-in
Just a few minutes for a cigarette break was enough time for a worm to gather valuables from an Irving Place apartment on Feb. 4.
The victim told police that he stepped outside for a smoke at around 9pm and left the door to his apartment near Fulton Street unlocked while he was outside. He headed inside and went to bed, but woke up to a notification that his card had been used and the realization that his backpack, which was stuffed with his laptop, wallet, and medication, was gone.
Immigration imitators steal money
Some good-for-nothings called a Brooklyn resident on Jan. 27 posing as immigration officers and demanding money.
Police said the victim was at home on Washington Avenue when, at about 4pm, she received a call from an unknown number. The goons on the other side of the line said they were immigration enforcement officers and that she needed to send money or risk deportation. She sent more than $2,000 in Zelle payments and Target giftcards.