Kings ransom
Kings ransom
An area resident was robbed of his cash during a shopping trip to Kings Plaza, officials said last week.
The teenage victim told police that he was inside the mall on Avenue U and Flatbush Avenue at 5:50 p.m. on November 12 when two other teens allegedly approached.
The duo allegedly demanded the victim’s bag before swiping an unknown amount of cash from the victim and running off. No injuries were reported.
Cops from the 63rd Precinct arrested one of the alleged thieves, identified as 16-year-old Steven Leger, the next day, charging him with robbery in the second degree, grand larceny, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
His accomplice was still at large as this paper went to press.
Kings Highway hell ride
An unhinged 21-year-old straphanger nearly caused an accident when he mouthed off and then attacked a bus driver taking passengers down Kings Highway, police said.
Officials said that Richard Powell was ultimately charged with assault after his alleged actions caused the bus to swerve and hop the curb at Flatbush Avenue.
The B9 bus driver alleged that Powell began arguing with the bus driver as they approach to the main intersection at 11:20 p.m. on November 11.
As they drew closer, Powell allegedly punched the bus driver’s hand while it was on the steering wheel, causing him to lose control of the bus for a moment.
The bus driver hit the brakes and ordered Powell off his transport, but the young man wouldn’t listen, police alleged.
“I’m not getting off this bus. You’re going to take me where I tell you,” Powell allegedly barked as he refused attempts to be taken off the bus.
When the bus driver decided to leave his seat and exit, Powell allegedly blocked his way and punched him in the shoulder, officials said.
The driver ultimately got out of the bus with injuries to his hand and shoulder, police alleged.
He called cops, who took Powell into custody on charges of assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment, menacing and harassment.
Tracked down
Cops apprehended a two-man crew allegedly responsible for breaking in and looting cars of GPS devices in Homecrest.
Officials said that Audrey Malchikov, 26, and Ruslan Yelizarov, 23, were caught allegedly breaking into two cars on the night of November 12 before cops from the 61st Precinct apprehended them for the GPS swiping spree.
Prosecutors allege that the duo was seen entering a 1997 Ford Explorer, where a Garmin navigation system was taken, parked on East 23rd Street near Avenue U.
The thieves then broke into a second car, a 2009 Honda Pilot, on the same block, taking a Nextar navigation system, police alleged.
In each case, Malchikov would enter the vehicle while Yelizarov acted as a lookout scanning up the block for possible witnesses, prosecutors alleged.
Police said that the two men allegedly dropped the Nextar system after they realized that someone was watching them and wandered off.
Cops caught up with Yelizarov near the scene. Malchikov was arrested a few moments later near the corner of Avenue T and East 22nd Street. He reportedly had a stolen GPS system on his person when he was taken into custody, police said.
Both men were charged with petit larceny, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and criminal possession of stolen property.
Vacant vandalism
Two would-be taggers were arrested last week after they were caught allegedly vandalizing a vacant Mill Basin home.
Officials alleged that a crew of teens broke into a home on East 53rd Street near Avenue O on the afternoon of November 13 and “wrote and drew” on the walls on the first floor and basement.
The teens also reportedly punched holes in doors and walls and started small fires in the basement and the first floor that left scorch marks, officials said.
Their alleged activity caught the attention of the property owner, who caught the vandals red-handed during a visit that Friday.
The woman immediately called police, who apprehended 17-year-old David Vincent and an unidentified 15-year-old.
Vincent was charged with burglary, criminal mischief, making graffiti and arson.
His accomplices were still at large as this paper went to press.
Formulaic crime
A 53-year-old woman was arrested last week after she was caught allegedly swiping seven bottles of baby formula from a Nostrand Avenue store.
Workers at the grocery near Avenue I said that Anetta Kingsimpson entered just after 2 p.m. on November 12.
She reportedly snuck seven bottles of Enfamil into a Target bag and tried to leave, but was stopped at the gate by an eagle-eyed employee, police said.
Workers kept her in the store until police could take her into custody on charges petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, officials said.
Crowbar “company man” sought
A thief seen wielding a crowbar as he tried to break into an area home tried to pass himself off as a Con Edison worker, police said.
Needless to say, no one believed him and called 911 immediately.
Cops were told that a resident of East 27th Street near Avenue R was looking out his window at 3 p.m. on October 27 when he saw the suspect inside his neighbor’s fenced-in back yard with a crowbar in his hand.
When the neighbor confronted the man and asked him what he was doing, the thief said that he worked for “the electric company” and “needed to get into the house,” cops were told.
As the witness went to call 911, the suspect ran off, last seen hoofing it down Avenue S.
There were signs that the thief had tried to pry open the back door, but the lock was never breached.
Investigators were still searching for the thief as this paper went to press.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to call the 61st Precinct at (718) 627-6611. All calls will be kept confidential.
Help wipe out graffiti
As the ongoing war against graffiti vandalism continues, cops are now offering a $500 in reward money to anyone with information that can lead them to graffiti vandals.
The hefty reward is part of the city’s new push to rid New York of graffiti, which is one of the leading quality of life complaints brought to police.
Officials said that cleaning up graffiti is essential to the plan, to show that the community is no longer going to tolerate marred and tagged-up walls and street corners.
According to police, there is a perception that if a community will tolerate graffiti, they will tolerate other criminal activities, such as drug dealing and prostitution.
Anyone with information about graffiti vandalism is urged to contact either 311 or 911.
