Crime Watch

Charging Charge

A woman was arrested and charged with grand larceny after using a forged debit card. At 4:33 PM on Thursday, August 22, a 29-year-old woman used a forged Chase business debit card to purchase merchandise in excess of $8,000 and to attempt to purchase merchandise in excess of $5,000 at a luxury department store on Broadway. She was later observed by the arresting officer operating a rental vehicle without authorization, as well as operating a vehicle on a New York City street with revoked New York State driving privileges and no driver's license. A license check revealed that the woman had five suspensions, including one scofflaw. She was apprehended and arrested on September 20 and charged with grand larceny.

Aide Raid?

Items of jewelry were found missing from a woman's apartment. At 8 PM on September 22, an 87-year-old woman living on West End Avenue discovered that several pieces of jewelry she kept in her dresser drawer had disappeared. The woman told police that her home health aide had access to her apartment. Items stolen were a gold ring with four garnets and a diamond chip valued at $5,000, a gold cuff bracelet worth $5,000, a gold ring with a marquise-shaped jade stone priced at $3,000, a white gold ring with a cluster of pearls valued at $2,500, a gold pin with stones costing $2,000, and a white gold ring with one pearl priced at $1,800. The total value of the missing jewelry amounted to $19,300.

RAV Removed

A man's car was stolen on Riverside Drive. At 8 PM on Saturday, September 21, a 47-year-old man parked his car at the southeast corner of Riverside Drive and West 86th Street. When he returned to the vehicle, he found it was gone. Police searched the area but could not find his ride. There were no signs of glass or breakage at the parking spot, and the car was not at the tow pound. The stolen vehicle was a black 2007 Toyota RAV4, sporting New York plates.

Window of Opportunity

A man's apartment on Columbus Avenue was burglarized. At 9 AM on Tuesday, September 17, a 27-year-old man left his apartment on Columbus Avenue. When he returned at 9 PM, he noticed that the front door of the apartment was shut but unlocked. He entered the apartment and found that items were missing. He also saw that the bedroom window leading to a fire escape was open, though it had been closed when he left the apartment that morning. Items stolen were a pearl necklace valued at $2,000, a Canon Sigma camera lens priced at $1,400, a Toshiba laptop worth $1,000, a Canon EOS Rebel camera valued at $450, Xbox games totaling $250, an Xbox 360 worth $200, a pair of pearl earrings valued at $100, and DVDs costing $60. The total take amounted to $5,610.

Bag Grab

A thief swiped a woman's bag from the floor outside a bar on Broadway. At 10:50 PM on Wednesday, September 18, a 27-year-old woman was having a drink in the outside area of a bar on Broadway, when a 30-year-old man grabbed her bag from the floor and fled the scene on foot. Police searched the area but could not find the thief. Items stolen were $650 in cash, Prada sunglasses valued at $350, Karl Lagerfeld sunglasses costing $200, a Diane von Furstenberg wallet priced at $200, a Longchamp bag valued at $125, a cashmere sweater costing $100, a Metro Card worth $35, plus credit and debit cards and the woman's New York State driver's license. The total amounted to $1,660.