A woman was headed to the ATM on East 85th Street at 7:30 p.m. on Monday February 25th. After she was finished, she went back to her car and sat inside. A black male, approximately 5’8 approached the car and stated “give me the money” while displaying a black handgun. The unknown man then took the $15 and fled. Police searched the area but with no results.

Bar Stool Burglary

On February 24th, a 56-year-old woman was sitting inside a bar on Second Avenue at 7:30 p.m. She had her handbag on the bar stool, and an unknown person removed her bag without permission. The victim then went to a friend’s house and canceled her cards, but she already saw a charge had been made on a taxi to Queens. In total: $3,621 in cash was stolen, as well as her purse, ID and cell phone. No arrests have yet been made

 Men Arrested for 20 Bags of Marijuana

Two perpetrators were observed inside a 2006 Chevy Impala vehicle on the corner of First Avenue and 92nd Street on February 23rd at 6:30 p.m. The first perpetrator had a gravity knife. They also were found to have 17 bags of marijuana on their possession. A further search inside the car revealed three other bags. The pair, a black man, aged 30, and another black man aged 25, were arrested for drug possession.

 Road Rage Taken to a New Level

Following a heated argument between two drivers on February 25th at 10 p.m. on East 81st Street, one of the drivers proceeded to follow the victim. The 26-year-old Hispanic man parked the car and got out. He proceeded to hit his victim in the face, causing him to lose balance and fall. The assailant fled the scene in his vehicle, and the victim ended up with lacerations on his face and head. The assailant is wanted for assault.

 Bank Robbery on 2nd Ave

Inside a 2nd Avenue bank on February 26th in the afternoon, two unknown people (one female, white, 42; and the other male, black 6’2) entered the bank. Both approached the teller and shoved identical notes under the window that said “no dye packs, no alarms, no GPS, all $100s, $50s and $10s in the bag- comply and no one gets hurt.” In total, the perpetrators were given $1,540. Police are still on the lookout for the individuals  responsible.

Seeking Community Panelists

Do you want to get involved in the NYC budget process? TranspareNYC is looking for community panelists to help decide where 1 million dollars in community grants will go. Last year, $907,798 was awarded to 167 organizations, including 36 new programs. The Manhattan Borough President’s office is specifically looking for people who display knowledge in Senior Services, Education, Urban Health Initiatives,

Re-entry and Correctional Systems, and Parks and Recreation. Those interested can visit TranspareNYC.org, and the recruitment drive for prospective panelists ends on March 29th. Questions about the program can be directed to Linda Felstein at (212) 669-4814 or LFelstein@manhattanbp.org.

Salvador Dali Watercolor Thief   

A man has been indicted and charged with Grand Larceny to the Second Degree, after stealing a 1949 Salvador Dali Watercolor from a Manhattan art gallery. On June 19th, 2012, Phivos Istavrioglou stole the drawing (with an estimated worth of $150,000) by placing it in a shopping bag. After surveillance images of the suspect were broadcast to the public worldwide, the NYPD recovered the stolen artwork in a shipping tube at Kennedy Airport less than 2 weeks later. They lifted fingerprints from the shipment and matched them with those from a juice bottle Istavrioglou stole at a Whole Foods last year. On February 16th, 2013, an undercover cop posing as a business manager of an art gallery lured Istavrioglou to NYC. He was taken into custody upon arrival at Kennedy.

 New York-Presbyterian Cancer Study

The American Cancer society is soon to begin its Cancer Prevention Study-3, which will help researchers better understand the factors that cause or prevent cancer. These studies have confirmed the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, and also the impact of air pollution on the heart and lungs. For residents of East Midtown that would like to get involved, New York-Presbyterian is available as a local registration site.

MOUNT SINAI AND CONTINUUM HEALTH PARTNERS TO MERGE

The Board of Trustees from The Mount Sinai Medical Center and Continuum Health Partners have voted to approve a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a possible merger.

The MOU outlines steps toward creating a new integrated health care system that combines operations of two entities.

“Our goal as an integrated health care system is to provide exceptional medical care to New Yorkers,” said Kenneth L. Davis, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Mount Sinai Medical Center. “The combination will create more economies of scale, increase efficiencies, and expand access to advanced primary and specialty care throughout this citywide network.”

Stanley Brezenoff, President and Chief Executive Officer of Continuum, said, “This collaboration makes available an extraordinary range of resources for the provision of compassionate, state-of-the-art care for patients. In joining with Mount Sinai, we will further enhance our ability to provide the full spectrum of outstanding care to the populations we serve.”

Dennis S. Charney, MD, Anne and Joel Ehrenkranz Dean of Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs of The Mount Sinai Medical Center, sees the opportunity for increased research collaboration with physicians and scientists affiliated with Continuum, who would become part of the medical school’s academic faculty. “Mount Sinai has a legacy of groundbreaking clinical and translational research that has led to improved methods of diagnosing and treating human disease,” said Dr. Charney. “The synergy between Mount Sinai and Continuum would widen our research base and accelerate the pace of breakthrough treatments and protocols.”

The chairmen of both boards of trustees, Peter W. May for Mount Sinai and Steven Hochberg for Continuum, said they are pleased that their respective boards unanimously approved the MOU.

The Mount Sinai Medical Center encompasses both The Mount Sinai Hospital and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Established in 1968, the Icahn School of Medicine is one of the leading medical schools in the United States, and is noted for innovation in education, biomedical research, clinical care delivery, and local and global community service.

Continuum Health Partners was created in January 1997 as the parent company for the partnership between four distinguished voluntary hospitals: Beth Israel Medical Center-Milton and Carroll Petrie Division, Beth Israel Brooklyn, St. Luke’s Hospital and Roosevelt Hospital.

On Feb. 1, a 23-year-old man was observed using a credit card that was not his at a high-end clothing store on Madison Avenue. The man had spent $4,545 on clothes. He had apparently obtained his victim’s personal information and used a counterfeit card. Police also determined that the man had several stolen credit cards in his possession. He was arrested for stolen property. The 20-year-old female victim, who lives in Massachusetts, canceled her credit cards.

Hamburger Heist

A 29-year-old woman from Brooklyn was at a hamburger joint on 86th Street on Feb. 1. A man offered to assist with her food. She didn’t feel any bumping or jostling. Upon receiving her food, she proceeded to walk out. Later she noticed her wallet was missing, and $522 in charges had appeared on her Amex account. No arrests have yet been made, but the perpetrator , if caught, will likely be charged with grand larceny.

Woman’s Wallet Stolen on Bus

On Feb.1, in the afternoon, a 29-year-old woman who lives on West 74th Street said that she was on a bus. She felt the usual rush-hour bumps, and afterward noticed her wallet was missing. Checking her credit card account, she found unauthorized purchases totaling $2,336. All in all, a debit card, two credit cards and a wallet worth $180 were stolen.

A Fragrant Theft

A 23-year-old man from Queens was at his gym on Park Avenue on Feb. 1, when a perpetrator was observed trying to use a credit card belong to the gymgoer. He was found to also be in possession of other stolen credit cards. The victim had been of possession of his cards when he entered the gym, and also had other items stolen from him, including some cologne. No arrests have yet been made.

Bar Fight

A 43-year-old man visiting from Delaware said that he got into an altercation with a man in front of a bar on Second Avenue at 2 a.m. on Feb. 1. The man had been drinking at the bar when a younger man also drinking at the bar bumped into him. After a verbal exchange, the younger man challenged his victim to a fight outside. Once they went outside, the perpetrator punched his victim in the face, causing pain and swelling. The victim left the scene via a cab. His assailant is wanted for assault.

Shoplifting Incident at High-End Clothing Store

Inside a high-end clothing store on East 65th Street on Jan. 31, at 5:50 p.m., a 38-year-old man said four unknown men walked into the store while an employee was helping other customers. The four men removed items from the shelves, went into the dressing room and stuffed the items into their backpacks. The perpetrators exited with the items, but surveillance footage is available. The four men are wanted for grand larceny. In total, $1,500 worth of clothes as stolen.

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS STOLEN FROM WOMAN’S BANK ACCOUNT
A 37-year-old woman went to use her bank account online last Monday from inside her apartment on Broadway, when she discovered that her account had been frozen. After contacting her bank, she was informed that an unknown perpetrator went into her bank with fake identification and was able to withdraw $4,500. A second attempt to withdraw more money was denied by the bank. In addition, the unknown person opened up a credit card account in her name. No arrests have yet been made.

A BITING THEFT CASE
A 27-year-old woman went to her place of work at a dentist’s office on Broadway on Jan. 25, and reported there was missing dental equipment, totaling over $22,000 in value. She said the theft had occurred sometime between Jan. 15 and 25. The unknown perpetrator stole eight dental headpieces and four intra-oral cameras. Police do not yet have a lead, but if arrested the charge will be grand larceny.

PUNCHED IN THE NOSE FOR IPHONE
On Tuesday, Jan. 24, a 21-year-old man said he was entering the 79th Street subway when an unknown man started following him. The man said, “Give me your phone,” and then struck his victim in the nose. The assailant snatched the phone and fled. The victim was then taken to the hospital. He did not have a tracking app installed, so the phone was not recovered. The surrounding locations do, however, have street cameras. Police are on the lookout for a Hispanic man around 20 years old and six feet tall, wearing a black sweatshirt and a black doo-rag.

WOMAN HIT UP FOR $1,300 ON 85TH STREET
On Friday, Jan. 25, a 37-year-old woman was walking down West 85th Street when she was approached by an unknown man wearing a mask. The man, while keeping his hand in his pocket, asked, “Am I on 85th Street?” When the woman answered, he said, “Give me all your money; don’t be stupid.” The victim says she gave him $1,300. The assailant then instructed her to walk toward Columbus Avenue and not look back. She complied. Police are on the lookout for a black man wearing a black coat, approximately 5’10” and 35 years old, wearing a dark mask at the time of the robbery.

THIEF BUYS $4,000 WORTH OF AUTO GOODS WITH FORGED CREDIT CARD
A 32-year-old male reported that when he was in his apartment at West 73rd Street on Jan. 23, he discovered that an unknown person used his checking account information to purchase almost $4,000 of auto parts from a local shop. The incident occurred sometime in mid-December. The victim was in possession of his debit card at the time of the theft, so the credit cards were forged. No arrests have yet been made.

THEFT ON 88TH STREET
At 3 a.m. on Jan. 22, a 22-year-old man was walking home on the Upper East Side. On East 88th Street, he told police, three young black males approached him. One of them allegedly said, “Give me your wallet, do you have any money?” Another punched the victim in the face, while the third one kicked him. Then, one of the men went through the victim’s pockets and took his cellphone and wallet. One perpetrator told him to count backward from 1,000, and not to look back because “we know where you live,” and his partner in crime told the victim, “We can shoot you right now.” The assailants then fled on foot. Police searched the area, but no one was found, and no arrests have been made.

MAN HIT BY WOMAN WIELDING CANE
A 46-year-old man was on an MTA bus on Jan. 21 during evening rush hour when he saw a woman in front of him attempt to hit a child with her cane. The man tried to restrain the woman, who then turned around and struck him in the left eye with her cane. A nearby witness, a 48-year-old man from the Bronx, confirmed these events. The 66-year-old woman was arrested for assault, but at most, she will be charged with a misdemeanor.

EX-BOYFRIEND MAKES TROUBLE
On Jan. 20, a 21-year-old woman was returning home to her apartment on East 89th Street when she was approached by her ex-boyfriend. She told police he then proceeded to slap her and drag her down the building stairs. The young woman did not suffer any injuries, but her cellphone was damaged. Police are still on the lookout for the assailant, a 30-year-old Hispanic male, 5’8”, who was wearing a black jacket and jeans at the time of the attack.

PHONE SCAM SNAGS TWO MORE VICTIMS
In what is starting to emerge as a pattern of scams targeting elderly people, an 89-year-old man and 64-year-old female reported getting a phone call from an unknown person on Jan. 17 in their apartment on East 76th Street. The caller claimed to be their granddaughter, saying she had been arrested in North Carolina. The caller instructed the couple to wire $14,700 for bail in California. The victims sent over the money, and soon after, received another call asking for an additional $3,950. At this point, they called their granddaughter, who said that she had actually not been arrested. In total, they were swindled out of over $18,000.

CELLPHONE SNATCHER
On Jan. 17, a 33-year-old woman was walking on Lexington Avenue and East 95th Street, when an unknown woman approached her and started yelling at her in Spanish. The perp then grabbed the cellphone out of the woman’s hand and fled. She was last seen running eastbound on 95th Street. The woman’s iPhone, worth $800, was stolen, and has not been retrieved.

FAMILY JEWELS TAKEN
A West 83rd Street woman returned to her apartment on Tuesday, Jan. 15, to find her jewelry rifled through and her most valuable items stolen. The thief only took diamonds, gold and some heirloom pieces, leaving all her costume jewelry behind, she reported. Her son slept through the whole incident. They live in a doorman building, and the robbery victim said she has always considered it so safe that she had neglected to lock her door. Not anymore. Later, some neighbors told her that they had seen a suspicious man walking in the halls, and that he had rung some doorbells, only to say he had the wrong apartment when someone answered. They reported the man to the doorman. All in all, the woman says she lost about $4,000 worth of jewelry.

CREDIT CARD CROOK ARRESTED
Last Saturday, officers observed a 31-year-old man purchasing home goods at a furniture store using forged credit cards. Upon being confronted, the perp resisted arrest and tried to throw away the evidence in an attempt to feign innocence. He was arrested nonetheless and charged with grand larceny. His victims live outside New York City, and have been informed of the credit card thefts.

OVER 20 GRAND STOLEN FROM BANK ACCOUNT
An 83-year-old man reported over $22,000 stolen from his bank account recently. The man was in his apartment at West 64th Street when he received a call from his bank citing the suspicious activity. The perpetrator used fake checks, and the victim’s money has not been recovered. The withdrawal could have occurred anytime between Dec. 1 and Jan. 2. No arrests have been made yet.

TAKING THE IVORIES
A Yamaha piano was stolen out of a 28-year-old musician’s apartment on Riverside Drive. The victim traveled to Korea on Jan. 5 and returned on Jan. 10 to find his piano missing. The perpetrator, when found, will be charged with grand larceny.

GUARD ATTACKED AT BRANDEIS
On a recent Wednesday morning, a 19-year-old man attempted to walk through the metal detectors at Brandeis School on West 84th Street. When the security officer told him to wait, the defendant became loud and threatening. The perp then attempted to walk through again, and struck the security officer, a 37-year-old male, in the chest and face. The man was arrested for attempted assault, and his victim was taken to the hospital for precautionary measures.

CANE ATTACK
An elderly man reported being caned by an acquaintance on Friday. According to the 81-year-old West 73rd Street resident, he was standing outside a store on West 72nd Street around 6 in the morning in September when a man he knew approached him and hit him twice on the side of the face with an aluminum walking cane. The reason for the attack was not reported, but the victim said that he remains fearful for his safety. He waited to be advised by a city social worker to report the case. The attacker remains at large and is wanted for assault.

BACKPACK SWIPE
A 29-year-old man was grabbing a quick bite at a fast food restaurant on Saturday when his backpack was snatched from right beneath his feet. The West 95th Street resident stopped by the restaurant on Broadway at 7 p.m. to eat. After he had ordered, he sat down with his food and put his backpack on the floor. 10 minutes later, he happened to look down and saw that the backpack was missing. Along with the pack, the victim lost an iPad, a Lenovo ThinkPad, a textbook and his wallet with two credit cards and $100 cash. Police have yet to gather any details on the thief.

ONE HEAVY ROBBERY
An unknown robber or group of robbers broke into a diner on Tuesday, Dec. 11, and got away with $100 in coins. The robber(s) approached the restaurant on West 67th Street at 5 a.m. and smashed the front window to enter. Once inside, the perp(s) located a toolbox beneath the cash register that contained a bunch of coins—200 quarters, 600 nickels and 200 dimes ($50, $30 and $20, respectively). The perps managed to lug the toolbox out of the store and escape without being detected. No security cameras were in the diner or around the area, and the robber(s) are now wanted for burglary.

BAD BULLY
A 12-year-old boy was robbed on Amsterdam Avenue on Monday, Dec. 12. The boy was walking home with a group of friends in the middle of the afternoon when a teenaged stranger approached the group and asked the boy if he could use his cellphone. The boy refused, so the teen grabbed the boy around the neck. He reached into the boy’s pocket and snatched his wallet, then ran on the street toward Columbus Avenue. The teen has yet to be identified and is wanted for robbery.

SCAFFOLDING MOTOR HEIST
A scaffolding company reported last week that two motors were stolen from the top of one of their scaffolds in a residential building on West End Avenue. The motors were last seen on top of the scaffold on Friday, Dec. 7, then were found to be missing last Wednesday. Video surveillance of the area might be able to help police identify the thief or thieves. The motors were worth $10,000 each.

“It’s that time of year. This is what we get on the Upper East Side,” said Officer Tarik Hunter, the 19th Police Precinct’s crime prevention specialist. He cited eight reported incidents of pickpocketing in his district since August, most of which have occurred in the past month. This increase mirrors last year’s numbers, and, as Hunter emphasized, only accounts for thefts that have been reported to NYPD: Many people do not realize that their belongings are missing until well after the incident, he said, so they are not sure if they were robbed or simply lost something.

A community affairs officer in Midtown North, Manhattan’s 18th Precinct, confirmed a similar spike in larcenies in his district. “It’s usually the same [each year],” he said, and added that the city’s heavily commercial areas endure a regular holiday increase in shoplifting as well as pickpocketing.
Thefts are, indeed, up across the city this month in keeping with annual trends, the NYPD reported. As well as in crowded public transportation vehicles, they said that many sneaky crooks strike in restaurants, bars and outdoor benches, where absent-minded visitors sometimes leave bags unattended and ripe for picking.

“I’m surprised. I haven’t heard of any [increase],” said John Barrett, a commuter waiting at a bus stop along Madison Avenue, whose buses have been heaviest hit by Upper East side pickpockets, according to Officer Hunter. “Pickpockets—that sounds like something from Charles Dickens.”
Despite his startled reaction, Barrett said that he is diligent in guarding his belongings on public transportation, and checks his pockets whenever someone brushes against him—a habit that he says has won him more than a few mean looks from innocent passersby. “It’s so quick that somebody can take your stuff and leave with it,” he said. “I just try to take precautions.”

Another bus rider was less surprised to hear about the holiday-time thieves. “I’m a New Yorker wherever I go,” said Peggy McDermott-Roberts, a city native who recently returned from a trip to California. “I look at my purse 29 times before and after I get on any bus.” She noticed that on her return to the city, people seemed more anxious on public transport around this time of the year, a bit more frenzied and less attentive.

A third commuter, Sandra Hasman, attributed the increase in thefts to the city’s seasonal influx of tourists. “There are so many more out-of-towners here for the holiday,” she observed. The NYPD confirmed that tourists were prime targets for pickpockets, because they tend to be less aware of the danger and more preoccupied with navigating the city.

However, locals are always at risk, too, officers emphasized. According to an NYPD safety report, pickpockets often hit crowds on bus or subway rides when passengers are so crammed together that it is hard to distinguish the feeling of a sneaky hand. New York pickpockets are also known to orchestrate some elaborate distractions, like a staged shouting match between two apparent strangers, to hold commuters’ attention long enough to steal from them.

The NYPD is taking measures to combat the annual spike, but they say that the best prevention is awareness. Use handbags with zippers and locks, they recommend, and never carry wallets in back pockets. If your find your pocket picked on a bus or train, they suggest that you immediately yell out to warn passengers and the driver / conductor. In their words, “Don’t be afraid to be loud.”

CAMERA SNATCHER

A young woman’s camera was stolen from the subway on Dec. 2. The 21-year-old West 103rd Street resident was riding on the C line at 12:30 p.m., seated next to the train’s doors. She had a camera bag with her, which she placed on the floor. At the 72nd Street Station, a man in a white hooded jacket snatched her bag and jumped off the train right as the doors closed. He then ran out of the station. Unable to pursue the man, the woman got off at the next stop then returned to her neighborhood to report the crime. The camera that was stolen, a Nikon D90, was worth around $1,200. Along with the lens, bag and other accessories, the woman lost roughly $1,500 in valuables.

CRUEL INTERRUPTION
A woman’s cellphone was snatched in mid-conversation on Dec. 2 by an unknown thief. According to the 34-year-old victim, she was walking along West 61st Street at about 7 p.m. and talking on her iPhone, when all of a sudden a man came up behind her and grabbed her left arm. He twisted the phone out of her grasp, then took off down the block away from the woman. The thief remains at large.

GROUP MUGGING
A deliveryman was robbed by four thugs on Dec. 1 in the West 79th Street Boat Basin. The 25-year-old Upper West Side resident was dropping off a routine food delivery around 5:30 p.m. in the boat basin when four men approached him. One perp flashed a knife and told the deliveryman to hand over all his money. As the victim surrendered $250 in cash, another perp took his bike, then the four muggers fled to Riverside Park. The victim was uninjured, but police have been unable to identify the criminals.

TEEN TOUGH GUYS
A teenage boy was mugged by two other teens on West End Avenue on Nov. 29. The 15-year-old victim was walking down the street at 5 p.m. when he was approached by the two perps. One asked the victim for his phone. The victim refused, so the perp pushed him to the ground. “Should I shoot him?” asked the second thug, and the wounded victim handed over his Galaxy phone and Monster Beats headphones. The perps fled the scene, and remain at large.

STOLEN CHECK FAIL
A man was arrested after he attempted to cash a stolen check on Nov. 30. The 32-year-old walked into a bank on Broadway with the check at noon and handed it over the counter, hoping for an easy $2,500. The tellers inspected the check, however, and realized that it was not his and that he had no permission to cash it. Police were notified, and the man was arrested for attempted larceny.

Use handbags with zippers and locks, and never carry wallets in back pockets.

Beware of loud arguments or commotions that may be staged to distract commuters as their pockets are picked.

If you are unnecessarily bumped or crowded on public transportation, be aware that you might be positioned for pickpocketing.

If your pocket is picked, yell out immediately to warn the driver or conductor, and alert everyone else that there’s a pickpocket on board.

TRAFFIC DISPUTE
A young driver got into a fight with another driver that ended in blows on Wednesday, Nov. 28. The reason the two confronted each other was unspecified, but they began arguing around 1 p.m. at the corner of Third Avenue and East 79th Street. The argument escalated into a brawl, resulting in a bloody nose for the young driver, a 22-year-old. The other driver fled the scene in a truck, and is now wanted for assault. Two New Yorkers witnessed the fight, and one of them managed to capture it on video.

WORSE TRAFFIC DISPUTE
Unrelated to the above incident, another punching fit erupted from a traffic dispute at York Avenue and East 87th Street on the same day, Nov. 28. At around 2:15 p.m., a vehicle clipped the elbow of a 50-year-old pedestrian as he was crossing the street’s crosswalk. It was the vehicle’s middle-aged driver who was angriest, though, because he reportedly got out of the car, grabbed the pedestrian by the throat and unleashed a barrage of punches on him, injuring his right shoulder and ear. This driver fled the scene, too, and remains at large, wanted for assault.

PURSE SWIPE
A young Upper West Sider was enjoying a night at a bar on Saturday when her purse was snatched. The 29-year-old had hung her purse on a hook near where she was sitting at the Second Avenue restaurant around 10 p.m. She then went to the bathroom and mingled for half an hour, after which she returned to her seat to find the purse missing. Asking around to see if anyone had seen someone snatch it, she found the purse on the restaurant’s floor by some tables. When she looked inside, she discovered that her iPhone and wallet were missing. The wallet contained $40 cash and various credit cards, all of which she canceled.

FAILED SHOPLIFTING ATTEMPT
A worker at a cosmetics store on East 86th Street witnessed a shoplifting attempt on Saturday. At around 4:30 p.m., a 67-year-old woman entered the store and began walking around and sneakily emptying boxes, placing their contents in her shopping bag. The items included facial cleaning foams and firming agents, worth over $1,000 in total. Then, the woman attempted to walk out of the store without paying for anything. The witness reported the theft, and the woman was arrested for grand larceny.