New Year’s Eve mug
Talk about a bad end to 2009! An 18-year-old Bay Ridge Avenue resident looking for a pre-New Years Eve celebration ended up being accosted and robbed of $60.
The victim said that he and two of his friends were walking along 10th Avenue near 66th Street at 1:44 a.m. on December 31 when a half-dozen males wearing black hoodies and ski masks approached them.
One of the males pulled a gun, demanding that he hand over his property.
Before he could respond, the thugs ripped the messenger bag off his shoulder and punched him in the face.
The thieves were last seen running off with the teen’s wallet and bag, officials said.
Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to come forward.
Calls can be made to the NYPD CrimeStoppers hotline at (718) 439-4211. All calls will be kept confidential.
More bag grabs
Just four minutes after the above incident, a 25-year-old woman was robbed of her purse at knifepoint on Fifth Avenue, police said.
The victim said that she was walking home at 1:48 a.m. on December 31 when an unidentified brute stopped her at 1:48 a.m.
The man flashed a knife before punching her in the head repeatedly. As she reeled back in pain, the thief yanked her bag away and ran off down 76th Street.
Cops were still looking for the thief as this paper went to press.
Number swipe
Cops are investigating a 58-year-old man’s claims that he was the victim of identity theft.
The man, a resident of 64th Street in Dyker Heights, said that someone had managed to get access to his JP Morgan Chase credit card number, which were used in nearly $5,600 worth of purchases that he did not authorize.
The fraud wasn’t discovered until December 8, said police, who added that the would-be theft wasn’t brought to their attention until December 28.
Coach carry off
Cops are looking for a fast-moving thief who managed to swipe a woman’s Coach bag without breaking a sweat.
A 23-year-old woman said hat she was walking past the corner of 5th Avenue and 78th Street at 11:15 p.m. on December 27 when the thief, described only as a white male in his twenties in a grey hooded sweatshirt and dark colored jeans ran by and snagged her bag.
The thief then ran off with the bag, which contained about $200 in cash and some credit cards.
Crooks targeting crooks
Talk about the “Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.”
A crew of gun-toting thugs ended up accidentally shooting each other during a daring heist at a nearby Bensonhurst jewelry store.
Police said that the three suspects, described as black males in their 20s, entered Benz Jewelers, 2039 86th Street, at 1 p.m. on December 29 and flashed their weapons.
They then began barking orders, demanding that workers hand over all the cash and jewelry.
What they didn’t expect was their prey’s pluck, however.
When one of the victims began struggling with the would-be ringleader, the man shot off a round – right at his partner, police said.
“I’m hit!” the wounded man screamed before all three scrambled out of the store.
The panicked perpetrators did have the wherewithal to run off with some of the jewels and the money, said police, who were still looking for the three suspects as this paper went to press.
Anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is urged to come forward.
Calls can be made to the 62nd Precinct at (718) 236-2611. All calls will be kept confidential.
Cyber bullying brought to life
Two teens were injured during a Christmas Eve attack at a neighborhood Internet cafe.
Police said that a bunch of teens were surfing the web in the Fort Hamilton Parkway storefront near 62nd Street — aptly called Internet — at 5:35 p.m. on December 24 when a group of teenage thugs came in.
“So what’s up?” one of the teens asked before flashing a collapsible baton and striking a 14 customer in the left side. A second teen pulled a baseball bat and struck the 15-year-old in the head.
Both men fled the cafe as quickly as they arrived, police said. No serious injuries were reported.
Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward.
Calls can be made to the 68th Precinct at (718) 439-4211. All calls will be kept confidential.
