Police Blotter: Handyman Holds up Dry Cleaners While Fixing Door

Crime is up 6 percent in the 79th Police Precinct (19 incidents versus 18 incidents) for the week of February 13 – February 19, compared to this same week in 2011. For the month, crime is up 72 percent (131 incidents versus 76 incidents), compared to this same 28-day period last year. And year to date, crime is up 39 percent (232 incidents versus 167 incidents), compared to this same time period in 2011.

Robberies

On Monday, February 20, at approximately 7:47am, there was a robbery on Halsey Street. According to police reports, a woman, 45, was sitting in front of her home on 141 Halsey Street when two unknown men approached her. One man, described as a black male, 6’11, 240 lbs pushed the woman in the face. The other man, described as a black male, 5’8 then held her while the first suspect took her wallet. Both men fled northbound on Marcy. The investigation is ongoing.

On Wednesday, February 22 at 7:03pm, a woman was robbed of her cell phone on Quincy Street. According to police reports, the woman, 21, was standing in front of her house at 204 Quincy Street when two teens riding a bicycle approached her. One of the suspects lifted his shirt and displayed a metal object and said, “I have a gun, give me your money and your phone.” The victim handed over her phone, and the suspects fled westbound on Quincy Street toward Bedford Avenue. After the suspect called police, they conducted a search of the phone from an application the female victim had installed on her phone. Police were able to recover the phone, which had already been sold to a 3rd-party. The original perpetrator is still at large. The second suspect was charged with criminal possession of a stolen property.

On Thursday, February 23, at approximately 3:50pm, a handyman held up a dry cleaners where he was working. According to police reports, the handyman, known as “Willie,” 40, black, 5’11 and approximately 175 lbs, was fixing the door to a dry cleaners located at 507 Franklin Avenue, when suddenly he demanded money of the store owner. When the victim refused, the suspect left and returned five minutes later simulating a gun in his jacket. He said to the storeowner, “Give me the money,” and took approximately $300 in cash, and then fled on foot in an unknown direction. The investigation is ongoing.

Grand Larceny

On Tuesday, February 21, at approximately 1:30am, four tires and four rims were stolen off of a 2010 Black Honda Accord in front of 415 Hancock Street, reported the car owner, 48. There were no known witnesses, and the investigation is ongoing.

Shooting

On Monday February 20, at approximately 4:15am, a man was shot in the lobby of a building located at 370 Lexington Avenue. According to police reports, the victim, 29, was shot once in the wrist and in the abdomen by an unknown perpetrator. Police discovered the victim in front of 495 Gates Avenue unresponsive from his injuries. He was transported to Kings County Hospital, and is in good condition. Police did a canvass of the area around Lexington where the shooting occurred and found no evidence of bullets or shelling. The investigation is ongoing.

*Please note: All information in the crime reports is provided voluntarily by the precincts. Bed-Stuy Patch is not responsible for how frequent or infrequent this information is provided, nor the amount of detail provided in each incident. If you have any questions regarding a specific incident, you may contact the 79th or 81st Precincts. 

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of anyone connected with any of these incidents is asked to call the New York City Police Department's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. All calls are kept confidential. The public can also submit its tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting 274637 (crimes) then enter TIP577.