TAXI TROUBLE

On Sunday, Jan. 13, a taxi driver from Brooklyn picked up a passenger at West 48th Street, who requested to be taken to East 77th Street. Upon arrival, the passenger paid and then proceeded to punch the driver in the nose, causing lacerations and bruising. The unknown perp, described as a black male wearing a white baseball cap and a yellow jacket, then ran off in an unknown direction. The victim was taken to the hospital and released. Police are still on the lookout for the perp.

CROCODILE-SKIN WALLET SNAPPED UP AT GYM
A 26-year-old woman who lives at East 61st Street was at a gym on Lexington Avenue. She left her wallet on a bench, and went to brush her hair. When she returned, the $180 crocodile-skin wallet was gone, as well as her debit card, social security card and several credit cards. No arrests have been made, and the victim canceled her credit cards before they could be used.

ASSAULT AT PIZZERIA
On a recent Wednesday night, a 49-year-old woman from Brooklyn was eating pizza at a pizzeria on First Avenue. A highly intoxicated man became unruly and punched her without provocation with a closed fist, then ran away. The victim suffered a small cut on her nose. A description of the perp is not available at this time, and no arrests have yet been made.

CREDIT CARD THIEVES GO ON SHOPPING SPREE
A 31-year-old woman, a resident of East 84th Street, was eating inside a bakery on Third Avenue on Jan. 9, and left her purse on the floor. Unbeknownst to her, someone removed credit cards from her purse. The thief made more than $1,600 worth of purchases at a trendy clothing store, then spent $50 at a convenience store. The perp has not been caught yet, and so far the money and credit cards have not been recovered. The woman has since cancelled her credit cards.

MOVIE THEATER NABBING
At a movie theater on East 86th Street, a 27-year-old woman, who lives on West End Ave., left her seat to go to the bathroom. When she returned, her purse was gone. Shortly thereafter, $117 was charged on her credit card. The woman’s passport was also in the bag. None of the stolen items—a $570 designer bag, a $500 smart phone, a $400 wallet, as well as cash and identification—has been recovered. The case is still open.

Clown Dies During Thanksgiving Day Parade
Robert Blasetti, 67, of Yonkers was following the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade route when he collapsed from a heart attack at Sixth Avenue and West 39th Street. Blasetti was dressed as a clown and was making balloon animals along with his wife, Irene. According to a witness, people in the crowds tried to pump Blasetti’s chest. He was pronounced dead at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital. An NYPD employee, 58-year-old Charles Sutton, also suffered a heart attack and died during the parade.

East Village Vegan Ice Cream Store Says Goodbye
Vegan-friendly ice cream store Stogo scooped its last flavor on Sunday. Stogo shut down its East Village shop, located on East 10th Street between Second and Third Avenue, after a year of high rent. The store shared the news with costumers via Twitter. Anticipation of the decrease in winter sales forced owners to consider closing. Hurricane Sandy sped up the decision, a source told DNAinfo. “We were going to try to fundraise to move, but then Sandy happened and I didn’t want to ask people to help move our shop when people were homeless and had lost everything,” the source said. Stogo partners, who have been working together for four years, have not decided if the shop will open elsewhere at a later time or sell its product through outside vendors.

NYC Hospitals Launch Virtual Doctor Visits
Those sick with the flu have a small reason to rejoice. Earlier this month, Continuum Health Partners and its member hospitals launched a new program that would make primary and urgent care more accessible. The initiative, designed with the help of Teladoc, the country’s largest telehealth provider, will offer physician assistance by phone or video. No more dragging yourself out of bed hacking and spewing to get that antibiotic! The telemedicine initiative is focused on New York City, but will later extend to neighboring regions. Patients can subscribe for a $30 annual membership and a $38 consultation fee for each use. Continuum intends the program to primarily be utilized when a member is unable to visit their doctor, not as a permanent substitution for office visits.

Touch Screens Replace NYC Phone Booths
City24/7 has a mission to make New York City more tech-savvy, starting in Union Square. The company premiered its first touch-screen kiosk at 12th Street and Broadway last Tuesday. Located in a phone booth, the kiosks are meant to replace the defunct stands. The kiosks feature screens provided by electronics manufacturer LG and 16 apps, including subway information, local events and maps of the neighborhood. The screens are free for users, although the company hopes that local businesses will pay to advertise on the kiosks. City24/7 worked with Victor Calise, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities, to ensure that the kiosks were accessible to the blind and wheelchair users. Anticipating future power outages, the screens have a 48-hour backup battery.
Compiled By Tatiana Baez

Leave Your Bags on Your Back

It’s nice to know people are so trusting of those around them. In New York City it’s a rare quality, but one that can cost its practitioners dearly. On the night of Saturday, April 28, a woman at a bar near 76th Street and Second Avenue had her bag stolen off the back of her chair. The unknown thief took the woman’s cellphone, wallet and a pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses as well as her Yohji Yamamoto bag valued at $1,500. The 21st Precinct wishes to remind residents that although going to a bar usually promises a night of fun and friends, people should always keep an eye on their belongings.

Party Pooper

Throwing a house party is always fun—when it’s held at someone else’s home. One resident of the Upper East Side learned this lesson the hard way on Saturday, April 28, after an unknown partygoer stole the show.

The host was allowing people into his soiree when a party crasher made his way inside. After mingling with the other guests, the crook got to work and pocketed a Tag Heuer and a Seiko watch, each one valued at over $1,000. The thief, maybe emboldened by his new timepieces, also seized an iPod and then went for the big prize. As he made his way out of the apartment, he shoved a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black under his coat, thus stealing the life of party and giving himself something to toast with, too. So far, no arrests have been made.

Taking a Beating for Electronic Love

From Tribeca to Harlem, there are always cases of people being ambushed for their valuables, an unpleasant fact New Yorkers must deal with now that they keep pricey toys in their pockets. These crooks do not discriminate or use fair tactics, as one woman discovered last Thursday night on Third Avenue near East 95th Street. The woman was talking on her cellphone when she was approached by a group of four black men and two women, who demanded that she hand over her valuables or suffer a beating. She then made a choice that the NYPD swears up and down is the absolute wrong thing to do: She held fast to her cellphone and invited the challenge. The group punched the woman repeatedly in the face and body, while trying to get the victim to release her vise-like grip on her phone. After realizing that they were fighting a losing battle, the dastardly thugs took off down East 95th toward the West Side. The victim refused medical attention and suffered a few bruises, but she got lucky, according to police. Although these crooks quickly took off, New Yorkers should remember that while we may be some tough cookies, losing a life over a cellphone is not worth the cost.

Baggage Claim

The MTA tells you to keep your belongings in sight at all times, and this rule applies for being on the street as well. At about noon of Saturday the 28th, a woman found an ideal parking spot on East 82nd Street, but needed a way to ensure that the spot remained open to her vehicle; ergo she utilized a piece of luggage as a means to tell other motorists that this spot was off-limits. One crooked driver was not in need of her spot, but realized the potential to profit from her blunder. When the woman returned to park her car, she saw a black sedan pulling away with her luggage in the backseat of the car. The woman lost several shirts, a $400 silk dress and a box of Quaker oatmeal.