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Man Disguises Stolen Citi Bike by Painting It Purple, Police Say

 Christian Damgaard stole a Citi Bike and painted it purple, police said.
Christian Damgaard stole a Citi Bike and painted it purple, police said.
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DNAinfo/Jill Colvin

FLATIRON — A man stole a Citi Bike and tried to hide it by painting it purple, according to the NYPD.

Police spotted 41-year-old Christian Damgaard unlocking a Citi Bike — which he had painted purple and locked in front of 35 W. 25th St. using his own personal lock and chain — at about 9:40 p.m. on Oct. 11, police said.

Police were able to identify it as a Citi Bike because the serial number was still visible, according to a criminal complaint from the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

The bike was last docked at East 40th Street and Fifth Avenue on Sept. 2 at 11:21 p.m. and hadn’t been returned since, police said. 

Damgaard was charged with possession of stolen property. He is due back in court on Dec. 2. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other notable crimes that occurred in the 13th Precinct include:

► A man was busted for having heroin and pills in his Waterside Plaza apartment, police said.

Police found 35 glassines of heroin, 16 oxycodone tablets and two scales inside 45-year-old Joseph Hirsch’s apartment at 25 Waterside Plaza when they searched it with a warrant at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 9, according to a criminal complaint from the DA’s office.

Police confiscated the drugs along with two cellphones and $599, the complaint says.

Hirsch was charged with criminal possession of controlled substances and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. He was released and is due back in court on Jan. 20, 2015, according to online court records.

His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

► An employee of Dollar Rental was busted for carrying two loaded handguns inside a rental car, police said.

Police followed 25-year-old Jermaine Williams out of a New Balance store at 150 Fifth Ave. at about 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8, after he tried to buy $464 worth of clothes using a stolen credit card, according to the DA's criminal complaint.

Police saw him get into a Dollar Rental car at E. 19th Street and Fifth Avenue, and then stopped him and searched the car. Officers found two loaded .40-caliber semi-automatic firearms in the glove box with 13 rounds each, police said. 

The car was rented by Williams, who works for Dollar Rental, but was being driven by 29-year-old Raymond Williams, who did not have permission to drive it, the complaint says.

Raymond and Jermaine's relationship was not immediately clear.

During the search, police also found Jermaine Williams carrying four forged credit cards and a fake driver's license, and Raymond Williams carrying two forged credit cards, the complaint says.

The two suspects were charged with criminal possession of loaded firearms, identity theft, petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, unauthorized use of a vehicle and possession of a forged instrument.

Their attorney did not immediately respond to request for comment. Dollar Rental did not immediately comment.