By Tom Tracy
Gunning for purses Cops are looking for a gun-toting mugger who pressed the business end of his pistol to the head of a 19-year-old woman, police in Sheepshead Bay said this week. The victim, a Brighton Beach resident, told police that she was walking down the 1300 block of Avenue Y at 10:40 p.m. on January 7 when the unidentified black male grabbed her from behind, putting his arm around her head. He then put a gun to the woman’s head, ordering her to fork over her purse. She quickly handed the item over, said police. The thief was last seen running off with the purse, which contained $300 in cash and the victim’s passport. The woman was not harmed. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 61st Precinct at (718) 627-6611. All calls will be kept confidential. Reversal of fortune Cops from the 62nd Precinct had to stop, let go and then arrest two of three teens wanted for robbing a 21-year-old male in Bensonhurst last week. The victim told police that he was walking past the corner of 62nd Street and 20th Avenue at 10:30 a.m. on January 5 when three males grabbed him, punched him in the face and rifled through his pockets. The thieves, however, never retrieved their spoils when a witness chased them off and called police. Working off a description given by the victim, responding officers searched the area and found three possible suspects on the 1900 block of 59th Street. But, when they brought the teenagers back to the victim, the man said that he couldn’t tell if they were the ones who attacked him. The teens were let go. But, minutes later, the victim recanted, stating that the males the cops stopped were the men who tried to rob him. He didn’t want to point them out because they intimidated them, the man told police. Cops went back out searching for the teens, nabbing two of the three. The teens, whose names weren’t released because of their ages, were charged with attempted robbery. Robbed of pocketbook Five teens are being sought for surrounding and robbing two young women of their purses in Sheepshead Bay last week. Officials were told that the suspects, described only as five males and one female, stopped the two women just before 10:15 p.m. on January 6 and began punching and kicking them, demanding that they hand over their pocketbooks. The thieves managed to snatch one pocketbook from their victims and run off, officials said. No serious injuries were reported. Checked out of $300,000 Cops are looking for the brazen thief who knocked over a Sheepshead Bay check-cashing store last week, taking $300,000 in receipts, officials said. Police said that a female worker was closing up the store, located at 1407 Avenue Z, at 6:40 p.m. on January 2 when an unidentified white male pushed the door open, claiming that he had a money order to cash. The employee tried to push the door closed on the man, but the thief surprised her by pushing a hard object – possibly a gun – into her ribs. The suspect forced the woman to take him to the back of the store, where he put the receipts in a shopping bag. He was last seen fleeing the area on foot, officials said. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the NYPD CrimeStoppers hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential. Robbed of wallet Three teenage thugs are being sought for robbing two people at the corner of Bay Parkway and 74th Street. The victims, both in their late 20s, told police that they were nearing the corner just before 8 p.m. on January 7 when they were jumped. One victim suffered a cut to his chin during the ensuing struggle, cops from the 62nd Precinct were told. His friend received a deep gash to his head. It wasn’t until the combatants had run off when one of the victims realized that the suspects had taken his wallet, officials said. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 62nd Precinct at (718) 236-2611. All calls will be kept confidential. More wallet woes The day before two men were robbed of a wallet in Bensonhurst, a man from Bath Beach told police that two males beat and robbed him of his wallet on the 100 block of Bay 28th Street, officials were told. The 31-year-old victim said that he was walking home at 3:30 a.m. on January 6 when the two strangers approached, demanding to know where he was going. Police said that the suspects struck the victim in the face, took his wallet, removed $20 and ran off. As of this writing, cops were still looking for the thieves. Taste of cash Cops are looking for the thieves who broke into Taste of China, 7824 20th Avenue, on New Year’s Day, stealing the restaurant’s cash register and the $200 inside, officials said. Police said that the thieves broke into the side door of the business sometime after closing at 11 p.m. January 1. When workers opened for business the next morning, they discovered that the cash register was missing, officials were told. Stabbed on Kings Highway Patrons at a Gravesend bar called 911 last week after a man stumbled into the bar, bleeding from a knife attack that occurred outside. Cops from the 62nd Precinct were called to the Sports Page Bar, 434 Kings Highway, at 11 p.m. on December 30 after the 25-year-old man literally fell into the bar, claiming that he had just been stabbed. Officials said that the victim had been stabbed multiple times and was rushed to an area hospital for treatment. Bar patrons told police that they didn’t see the stabbing, but noticed two white males in black hooded sweatshirts jump into a black SUV and speed off down the street. Police are currently looking for the assailants. Ending ’06 with a bang As Brooklynites began counting down the hours to 2007, a thief was counting the money he collected from two store raids in the area, cops from the 62nd Precinct said. Officials said that an unidentified white male in his 20s robbed the Mr. Wash on the 100 block of Kings Highway and the Associated Supermarket at 97 Avenue O – which are located just a block away from each other – at about 4 a.m. on December 31. Workers at the Associated said that the masked suspect entered the store at 4 a.m. and pulled a gun on a worker, demanding the money from the register. The gunman took an undetermined amount of cash and ran off, officials said. Roughly ten minutes later, the same masked man was seen entering Mr. Wash, where he terrorized an employee. “I don’t want to ruin your new year,” the thug threatened. “Give me the money from the register.” The suspect fled the store with about $200, officials said. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 62nd Precinct at (718) 236-2611. All calls will be kept confidential. New Year’s bash So much for New Year’s resolutions. Just four hours after the ball fell in Times Square, a 31-year-old Brighton Beach man was arrested, charged with bashing his way into an 81-year-old’s home. Cops were called to Hitchings Avenue, a quiet street between Shore Parkway and Emmons Avenue in Sheepshead Bay, at 4 a.m. on January 1 where William Canfield, a resident of the 3030 block of Brighton 14th Street, was allegedly seen trying to enter the home of an 81-year-old resident. Police alleged that Canfield had broken two windows and had shattered the door as police arrived. Finding him both drunk and injured from his attack against the house, cops took the 31-year-old into custody and took him to Coney Island Hospital for treatment. Cops later charged Canfield with burglary. Off-Duty cop shot A 25-year-old police officer was rushed to the hospital on December 23 after someone fired off a gun at a Sheepshead Bay party he was attending. Police said that the officer was off duty and celebrating with friends at an address on the 2400 block of East 16th Street near Avenue X at 1:30 a.m. when someone discharged a gun outside the location. The gunman fired three times into the window. Police said that the cop, a resident of Long Island, suffered a graze wound to his arm. No other injuries were reported. The gunman was still at large as this paper went to press. Robbed on Irwin Street A 19-year-old man told police that he was forced out of his car and robbed at gunpoint as he rolled down Irwin Street in Manhattan Beach recently. The victim said that two black males ran up to his vehicle as it rolled down the street between Oriental and Shore boulevards at 11:50 p.m. on December 24. The suspects threw open the door, yanked their victim out of the car and then pulled a gun on him, demanding his property. The suspects fled the area with $1500 in cash, a cell phone and the victim’s Rolex watch, officials said. No injuries were reported. Cops are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 61st Precinct at (718) 627-6611. All calls will be kept confidential. Bank robber wrestle Three good Samaritans worked together to wrestle a 43-year-old bank robber to the ground Saturday, officials said. Officials alleged that Michael Farrell walked into the bank near the corner of 3rd Avenue and 93rd Street, passed a threatening note to a teller and ran out with an undisclosed amount of money. He didn’t have any time to spend the money, however. Three customers chased after Farrell, wrestling him to the ground until police could arrive and charge him with robbery. Steve’s Bagels burglarized Cops are looking for a group of thieves wanted for breaking into Steve’s Bagels at 6907 4th Avenue. Officials said that someone forced open a back door to the eatery sometime after it closed at 8 p.m. on December 31. Once inside, the thieves broke into an office, where $3,500 in receipts were found, officials said. Police are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the 68th Precinct at (718) 439-4211. All calls will be kept confidential. Cash, cell phone taken A 62-year-old man was thrown to the ground and robbed of his cash, cell phone and prescription medication as he waited for a bus near the corner of 5th and Bay Ridge avenues, cops from the 68th Precinct were told. The victim said that he was waiting for the B63 bus at 8:30 p.m. on December 31 when he was grabbed by five unidentified males. After knocking him to the ground, the thieves went through his pockets and ran off with his property. No serious injuries were reported. Open house Workers for a neighborhood mortgage company told police last week that someone broke into their offices over the New Year’s holiday. Workers said that the closed the office, located at 8325 5th Avenue, at 7 p.m. on December 31. At 7 a.m. on January 2, employees arrived at the office to find the front door wide open. It was estimated that over $2,000 in electronics, including a Dell computer, had been taken. Police are currently trying to track the thieves down.
