Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Robber Bites Man on Neck at Varick Street Subway Station, Police Say

By Irene Plagianos | September 16, 2014 2:56pm
 Alajuwon Aleem, 22, bit a straphanger who tried to stop him from stealing a friend's purse at the Varick Street train station, police said.
Alajuwon Aleem, 22, bit a straphanger who tried to stop him from stealing a friend's purse at the Varick Street train station, police said.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Michael Ip

SOHO — A thief chomped down on a straphanger's neck after the victim tried to stop him from stealing his friend's handbag, police said.

Alajuwon Aleem, 22, approached the pair after they boarded a southbound 2 train at the Times Square station at about 3:45 a.m. on Sept. 13, and accused the couple of stealing his cellphone. Aleem then tried to grab the woman’s handbag, police said.

When the victims tried to leave the late-night train, which ran local and made a stop at the Varick Street station at West Broadway, Aleem followed, breaking the strap of the 25-year-old woman’s purse as he continued to pull on her bag, police said.

When the man, also 25, confronted their attacker, Aleem ripped off the man's necklace before lunging toward him and biting him on the left side of his neck, police said.

Aleem then dropped the woman's handbag and fled.

Police caught him shortly afterward and charged him with robbery, assault and criminal mischief, police said.

It was not immediately clear whether the victim was taken to a hospital.

A call to Aleem's attorney was not immediately returned. He's being held on $12,499 bail, and is due back in court on Sept. 18.

Other recent crimes in the 1st Precinct include:

► A man stole five handbags and a leather jacket — worth a total of $2,763 — from SoHo boutique Wink on Sept. 12 after breaking into the shop at about 3:30 a.m., police said. The thief swiped the goods after he “forcefully” pulled open the 129 Prince St. store’s locked doors.

Wink did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

► A Mercedes-Benz Zipcar was stolen out of a Financial District parking garage on Sept. 3 at about 2 p.m., police said. The $45,000 car was picked up by someone who used a fraudulent Zipcar account at the Imperial Parking Garage, at 2 Gold St., police said.