78th Precinct
Park Slope
Lottery scam
Swindlers used a classic lottery sting to steal a whopping $10,500 from a woman outside the Park Slope Co-op on Aug. 11.
The smooth talkers approached the woman on Union Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues at 1:40 pm, and informed her they’d won a multi-million-dollar lottery ticket — but needed cash to redeem it, and would reward her accordingly. The gullible victim withdrew $7,500 from two banks, and then took the thieves to her house, where she retrieved another $3,000.
Cash in hand, the bandits asked for some tea — and promptly left the apartment while it was being made.
Cellphone stings
Two iPhones were snatched and a third phone was nearly stolen in separate incidents last week. Here are the details:
• Cops arrested two teenagers for allegedly stealing a woman’s phone on Fifth Avenue on Aug. 9. The victim told police that she stopped to make a call near Second Street at 8:30 am. That’s when the teens snatched the phone and took off. They were picked up on Third Avenue soon afterwards.
• A clumsy would-be cellphone thief grabbed a woman’s phone, but dropped it in a botched getaway on Seventh Avenue on Aug. 9. The woman was near 14th Street at 9:45 am when the man approached and attempted to grab her phone. In the ensuing struggle, he dropped the device and fled in a panic.
• A thief swiped an iPhone from a man’s belt on a subway platform at Grand Army Plaza on Aug. 12. The victim told cops that he was waiting for a Flatbush Avenue-bound train at 11 pm when his new iPhone 4 was swiped by the bandit, who fled from the station.
Bike clipped
A Kryptonite chain and cable lock weren’t enough to save an unattended bike on Seventh Avenue on Aug. 12.
A woman told police that she locked her bicycle outside of the Barnes and Noble store at around 10:20 am. When she returned one hour later, she discovered that the bike — and her racing helmet — had been taken.
Purse snatchers
Thieves made fine dining a little more expensive for unsuspecting restaurant patrons last week:
• In the first incident, a woman told cops that her purse was stolen inside of Sette Enoteca on Seventh Avenue at Third Street on Aug. 11. The purse contained the victim’s house key, Medicaid card, CUNY graduate school ID and $150.
• In the second incident, a woman reported having her wallet stolen out of her purse at Bogata Latin Bistro on Fifth Avenue on Aug. 14. She told police that she saw the robber filch her wallet at 1:16 am inside the eatery near Douglass Street. Police say they arrested their man half an a hour later.
Bodega blues
A thief swiped cash and cigarettes after busting into a Fourth Avenue deli on Aug. 14.
Police said the man broke into the store, between Union and President streets, between 1 am and 4:38 am, and removed the goods.
Money matters
A thief broke into a President Street home on Aug. 13 and made off with $350.
The victim told cops that he left his apartment between Sixth and Seventh avenues at 5:15 pm and returned at 6:30 pm to find his wallet, car keys, prescription sunglasses and cash missing.
— Daniel Bush
