Police Blotter
Downtown thief
threatens to
kill victims for
MetroCards
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Transit cops in Lower Manhattan
need the public’s help in fi nding a
serial thief who threatened to kill
women in order to steal their MetroCards
at subway stations three times last week.
In each instance, police said, the
suspect confronted woman at the mezzanines
of either the Whitehall Street or the
Rector Street stations and made a verbal
threat to kill them if they didn’t provide
him with their MetroCard. Each time, the
crook successfully obtained the victims’
passes without further harm or incident.
Authorities said the fi rst robbery happened
at 10:15 a.m. on Nov. 3, when the
bandit stole a MetroCard from a 32-yearold
woman at the Whitehall Street stop on
the N/R line. He returned to the station
the following day at 6:32 a.m. on Nov.
4, and similarly robbed a 78-year-old
woman of her MetroCard, police noted.
Law enforcement sources said the
perpetrator struck again eight minutes
later, at 6:40 a.m. on Nov. 4, stealing a
Teenager arrested
for Harlem bus shooting
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
Cops cuffed a 16-year-old
boy Monday night accused
of opening fi re on
another teenager as he boarded
a city bus in Harlem last month,
police announced.
The youngster, whose identity
was withheld due to his age,
faces attempted murder, assault
and criminal possession of a
weapon charges for his alleged
role in the Oct. 14 attack on the
M1 bus.
Police said the suspect allegedly
opened fi re as the victim
boarded the M1 bus in front
of 70 West 139th St. at about
9:55 a.m. on Oct. 14. One of
the shots grazed the 14-yearold
victim’s head; several slugs
The suspect behind a series of
MetroCard robberies in Lower
Manhattan.
MetroCard from a 39-year-old woman at
the Rector Street station on the 1 line.
On Friday night, the NYPD released
video footage of the suspect obtained
from the fi rst incident. As shown, the
perpetrator has a dark complexion and
wore a black du-rag, a black surgical
mask, a navy-blue jacket and green-andblack
gloves.
Anyone with information regarding
his whereabouts can call Crime Stoppers
at 800-577-TIPS (for Spanish, dial
888-57-PISTA). You can also submit tips
online at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org,
or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All calls and
messages are kept confi dential.
Knife-wielding crook swipes books and
toys from Union Square Barnes & Noble
One of the bullet holes in an M1 bus that was fired upon in
Harlem on Oct. 14, 2021.
struck the front of the M1 bus,
though no other injuries were
reported.
Offi cers from the 32nd Precinct
and EMS units responded
to the scene. Paramedics rushed
the victim to Harlem Hospital
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
Cops are looking for a crook who
robbed a Union Square bookstore
at knifepoint last month.
According to police, at 5:15 p.m. on Oct.
30 an unknown man entered Barnes & Noble,
located at 33 East 17th Street, and took a
canvas tote bag that was for sale at the store.
The suspect proceeded to try and conceal an
assortment of books and games inside the tote
bag, valued together at $217, and attempted
to leave the store without paying.
When he was stopped by an employee,
the suspect pulled out a knife and fl ed the
store eastbound on East 17 Street towards
Park Avenue South. There were no injuries
for treatment.
Police sources did not
provide details Tuesday on a
possible motive for the shooting,
or how the 16-year-old
boy arrested Monday night was
connected to the crime.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NYPD
reported as a result of the incident.
The NYPD released photos and a video
of the suspect:
The suspect is described as a darkskinned
man with a thin build, standing 6
feet tall. He waslast seen wearing a black
patterned jacket that says Valentino on the
back, black pants, black sneakers, a black
bucket hat and chains around his neck.
Anyone with information in regard to
this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s
Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS
(8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA
(74782). The public can also submit their
tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers
website or on Twitter @NYPDTips. All
calls are strictly confi dential.
Charges pending against
man shot by cops in Fort
Washington Park
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
A 23-year-old man remains
in stable condition, with
charges pending against
him, after police offi cers shot him
in Fort Washington Park in Washington
Heights on Sunday night.
Law enforcement sources said the
trouble began at about 8:15 p.m. on
Nov. 7, when offi cers from the 33rd
Precinct responded to the park, off
of West 168th Street, after receiving
a 911 call regarding shots fi red.
During a subsequent search,
police reported, the offi cers encountered
the suspect brandishing
a fi rearm. Police then issued numerous
commands, in English and
Spanish, ordering the man to drop
his weapon, but he refused.
Seconds later, authorities said,
the perpetrator pointed the gun at
the offi cers, prompting the cops to
discharge their weapons. The suspect
was struck in the torso.
EMS units rushed the man to
Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital,
where he was listed in stable condition.
The offi cers involved in the
shooting were brought to a local
hospital for evaluation, but were
not injured, authorities said.
Police recovered the fi rearm that
the suspect pointed at the offi cers at
the location.
Detectives determined that the
perpetrator had apparently let off a
number of rounds inside the park,
though no one was targeted. There
were no other injuries reported.
The NYPD Force Investigation
Squad, which probes police shootings,
is now handling the case.
10 NNoovveembbeerr 1111,, 22002211 Schneps Mediia
/crimestoppers.nypdonline.org
