(L-R) Captain Mike Telfert, P.O. Dariusz Dawidowski, Sgt. Spiridon Katehis, Commanding Officer Captain Brian Hennessy
May 29, 2013 By Christian Murray
The 46th Street subway station had been a hotbed for cell phone snatchers until the police made an arrest early last month.
Captain Michael Telfert, who spoke at the 108 police precinct meeting in Sunnyside last night, said that four people have had their cell phones stolen at the 46th Street subway station in February and March. However, since a man was arrested on April 7 such cell phone thefts have ceased at the station.
On Sunday, April 7, the police received a 911 call that a cell phone had been snatched early that morning at the 46th Street station.
The police were able to track the perpetrator down to a 46th Street address through the victim’s “Find my iPhone” application. The police followed the signal and were able to locate the building of the perpetrator.
The cops heard yelling from a fourth floor window where two men were arguing and the word cell phone was frequently used.
They police proceeded to the fourth floor and spoke to a man in his early twenties and his grandfather. They discovered the cell phone on the younger man, named Christopher Pandani, and arrested him.
The two arresting officers, P.O. Dariusz Dawidowski and Sgt. Spiridon Katehis, received an award for this arrest from Telfert.
The police have stepped up their presence on all subways within Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City following a wave of transit crime in 2012.
Telfert said recently that 28 additional transit cops have been assigned to these three neighborhoods—focusing heavily on the No. 7 line.
