See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Matthew Perlman
Brooklyn Daily
88th Precinct
Fort Greene–Clinton Hill
Subway scare
Police arrested a man who they said stole a teenager’s cellphone and then threatened a bunch of bystanders with a box-cutter inside the Fulton Street G train station on Aug. 4, authorities said.
The 12-year-old victim told cops he was standing on the subway platform, in the station on Lafayette Avenue and Fulton Street, at 3:37 pm when a man approached and asked to see his phone.
The kid handed it over, and when he asked for it back the guy told him, “You don’t know who you are messing with,” police said. “Just go before I knock you out,” he added, according to police.
When other passengers saw what was happening they tried to intervene, and the guy pulled out what looked like a box-cutter and started waving it around, according to a police report. Cops caught up to the 52-year-old suspect at the corner of Lafayette and S. Portland avenues, arrested him, and found a crack pipe in his pocket, the report says.
Chuck-full-o-choke
A violent man choked another man inside of a coffee shop on Flushing Avenue on Aug. 6 after a confrontation in the bathroom, cops said.
The 34-year-old victim told police he was in the restroom of the shop between Waverly and Washington avenues at 7 pm, and got into an argument with another man.
The fight turned physical, and the guy punched the victim in the face and started choking him, police said. Authorities took the victim to the Brooklyn Hospital Center, and the suspect got away, police said.
Hot pursuits
Three vehicles were reported missing this week. Here’s how they stack up:
• A daring thief stole a motorcycle from in front of an apartment on Lafayette Avenue on Aug. 4, and wheeled it away as the owner watched, according to a police report.
The 32-year-old biker told cops she was getting ready for work at 5:22 am when she heard a commotion in front of her building between Grand and Classon avenues.
She looked out her window and saw someone wheeling the 2008 Honda down street, but by the time she had grabbed her glasses to get a closer look, the motorcycle and the thief were gone, police said. A lock that was on the bike was also taken but its canvas cover was left behind, cops said.
• Someone stole a car from the corner of Park Avenue and Navy Street sometime between Aug. 3 and 4, authorities said.
The 61-year-old owner left his 1997 Dodge parked near the intersection at 9 pm on Aug. 3, and when he returned at 10 the next morning it was gone, police said.
• A sneak stole a rental car from a lot on Washington Avenue and it was not noticed for two weeks, police reported.
The car was last seen in the lot between Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue on July 26 at 7 am, according to a police report. A worker for the rental company noticed it was gone when doing inventory at 12:30 pm on Aug. 6, the report says.
Bikes bilked
Two bikes were swiped from their spots. Here’s the rundown:
• Someone stole a folding electric bike from in front of a Myrtle Avenue restaurant on Aug. 9, cops said.
The 35-year-old biker left his ride unattended in front of the restaurant between Washington Avenue and Hall Street at 12:45 pm while he picked up some food, police said. He told cops that when he came out 10 minutes later, the bike was gone.
• Another bike was stolen from the lobby of a Grand Avenue building sometime between Aug. 6 and 7, police said.
The 29-year-old owner told cops he left the bike in the lobby of the building between Gates and Putnam avenues at 10:30 pm on Aug. 6. When returned at 9:30 the next morning, it was gone, cops said.
Car break in
Someone stole a bunch of tools and a music player from a car parked near the corner of Gates Avenue and Cambridge Place on Aug. 6, cops said.
The company that owns the car reported that a driver parked it near the intersection at 11 am, and when they returned two hours later, the door locks had been busted. The crooks took three drills, a portable music player, and a pair of headphones, cops said.
Snatch catch
Cops cuffed a man who they said snatched a woman’s purse near the corner of Willoughby and Vanderbilt avenues on Aug. 7.
The 27-year-old victim told police she was standing on the corner at 8:20 pm when a man came by and took her green purse. Police responded and found a 29-year-old suspect they believe took the bag and chased him for two blocks on foot, according to a police report.
When they caught up to the guy, he started flailing his arms and resisting arrest, the report says.
Hack hacked
A stealthy sneak stole a cabbie’s wallet while he helped a passenger unload some packages in front of a Classon Avenue building on Aug. 1, authorities said.
The 38-year-old hack told police he dropped off a passenger between Park and Myrtle avenues at 4 pm, and got out of the car to help with some belongings.
A witness saw the sneak creep into the cab and take the wallet while the cabbie was helping, according to a police report. The wallet contained $20 in cash and a credit card, which the thief charged $400 to, the report says.
Cold case
Someone stole an air conditioner, copper pipes, and some plumbing tools from a vacant commercial building on Myrtle Avenue sometime between July 15 and Aug. 2.
A 56-year-old man reported the theft after he noticed the building’s rear window had been broken at 1 pm on Aug. 2, and that he had last seen the items at 3 pm on July 15, according to a police report.
He told cops the building between Waverly and Clinton avenues is being renovated, the report says.
Push over
A goon pushed over a bike rider near the corner of Lafayette and Carlton avenues on Aug. 5 and stole her bag, cops said.
The 27-year-old biker told cops she was riding home at 5:54 pm when a guy knocked her off the bike. He grabbed her bag, which contained some cash and a cellphone, and ran, cops said.
Cup cutting
Cops cuffed a 57-year-old woman for allegedly assaulting another woman with a plastic cup in front of a Clermont Avenue building on Aug. 5, police said.
The 37-year-old victim told cops she got off the bus at 10:51 am and was walking between Fulton Street and Atlantic Avenue when the suspect started arguing with her.
The suspect started hitting her in the face with a plastic cup, cutting her on the cheek, cops said.
Shot while waiting
Someone shot a man while he sat in a car on the corner of Park and N. Portland avenues on Aug. 6, cops said.
The 25-year-old victim was sitting in the front passenger-side seat of the car at 6:41 pm when bullets hit him in the face and both wrists, according to a police report. The driver took him to Brooklyn Hospital Center, the report says.
— Matthew Perlman