Police Blotter: Two Burglaries, a Stabbing Homicide and an Assault

Crime is up 29 percent in the 79th Precinct for the week of March 12 through March 18 (26 incidents versus 28 incidents), compared to this same week in 2011. Crime is up 15 percent for the month (125 incidents versus 108 incidents), compared to this same 28-day period last year. And year to date, crime is up 30 percent (357 incidents versus 275 incidents), compared to this same time period in 2011.

Stabbing:

On Tuesday, March 20, at approximately 4:00pm, 79th Pct. police received a call about a man with a knife on Putnam Ave., between Nostrand and Marcy Avenues. Upon arrival, officers discovered a man later identified as Anthony Holder, 21, of East 58th Street in Manhattan, laid out on the street with stab wounds to his upper torso. According to police, the victim was unable to speak and had difficulty breathing.

The perpetrator was described by witnesses as a black male in his twenties, wearing a bright-yellow, short-sleeved t-shirt with short cornrows and a tattoo below his right eye. The perpetrator was said to have fled on foot, northbound on Nostrand Avenue, and then westbound on Madison Avenue, while still in possession of the knife. The victim, who was known to the police department with a record of several arrests and an open warrant for drug sale and possession, was rushed to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:00pm.

Two Burglaries:

On Monday, March 19, at approximately 10:48pm, 79th Pct. police received a call of a reported robbery that took place at 186 Kosciuszko Street. According to police reports, the victim and resident said the robbery took place sometime between 12:40am and 9:00am, while she was sleeping. The victim stated that the unknown perpetrator broke into her apartment and stole a dime checking book, a social security card and an Aetna Insurance card. The victim was not harmed.

On Wednesday, March 21, at approximately 2:00pm, police received a call regarding a burglary of a construction site at 146 Clifton Place, between Classon and Franklin Avenues. According to police reports, the construction site was burglarized sometime between Tuesday, March 20, at 4:00pm, and Wednesday, March 21, at approximately 7:00am. During this time, unknown person(s) cut the chain off of the front security gate and removed 400 feet of copper piping, 200 copper fittings, a brass hammer, a rotary hammer and a cordless drill. The victim reported that there was a security officer on duty between 11:00pm and 7:00am.

Assault:

On Monday, March 19, at approximately 8:00pm, police received a call regarding a break-in and assault at 724 Lafayette Avenue, between Tompkins and Throop Avenues. According to the police reports, the 25-year-old victim stated he was sitting on his bed at around 7:50pm when the perpetrator, identified as James Halsey, 21, kicked in his door and began punching and kicking him, causing several lacertations to his right eye brow. The perpetrator, who was known to the victim, did have keys to the front door of the building. The victim provided no possible motive or further details for the break-in, and refused medical attention. Halsey was later arrested.