Crime Watch

Phony Account
You are not an Upper East Side resident in good standing until an identity thief has tried to put you in bad standing. At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, a 35-year-old man told police that when he checked his credit report on Friday, October 3, he discovered that a Verizon account had been opened in his name in December of 2013 without his permission or authority. Apparently, charges of $1,752 had turned up on the account, which was in collections. Police said there is an ongoing investigation.
Texas Holdup
A New York man was victimized by a varmint in Texas. At 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 7, a 47-year-old Upper East Side resident told police that an unknown person in Texas had withdrawn $3,850 from his checking account without his permission or authority. The victim still had his own debit card in his possession. Police are looking into the matter.
Refrigerator Raid
Determined thieves will take advantage of any opening. At 1:30 p.m. on Friday, October 3, a 60-year-old employee at a corner newsstand in the East 60s was restocking the refrigerator in the front of the stand when an unknown man entered the kiosk through the open door and removed an unknown amount of money before taking off on foot.
Staple Bull
Dishonest employees have become a staple of modern business. On Monday, October 6, a female employee of a local business reported that between August 22 and the 31st, another employee of the company had charged $11,466 to the business’s account without permission or authority at a Staples store. Video and receipts enabled the business to identify the errant employee, a 28-year-old man who has been arrested and charged with grand larceny.
19 charged in East Harlem crack-cocaine sale case
Nineteen people have been charged with selling crack cocaine in the lobbies, hallways, elevators and even playgrounds of an East Harlem public housing complex.
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and Police Commissioner William Bratton announced the arrests Friday. The DA’s office says most of the defendants have been arraigned on drug-sale charges and pleaded not guilty. A few are awaiting arraignment.
Their ages range from 18 to 38. Prosecutors say all lived or had family in the East River Houses development on 105th Street and many were affiliated with a local gang called “East Army.”
Vance notes that his office has brought 15 gang takedown cases in the past five years.
Police statistics showed that as of early May, gang arrests citywide were up more than 28 percent from two years ago.