Quantcast

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

Passenger Steals Livery Cabbie's Wallet From Glove Compartment, Police Say

PARK SLOPE — A car service driver had his wallet swiped by a passenger, according to a police report.

The 42-year-old driver, who works for Eastern Car Service, was dropping off a fare at Dean Street and Fifth Avenue on April 3 at 7:25 p.m. when he realized he didn't have enough cash to make change, according to the report. He hopped out of the car for a few minutes to get change at a nearby store and left the passenger alone in the car.

After he dropped off the passenger at the destination, the driver realized that his wallet was missing from the car's glove compartment. The driver told police that he didn't see the passenger take the wallet, but that the passenger was the only person alone in the vehicle.

The wallet contained $5 in cash and three credit cards.

Other recent notable crimes in the 78th Precinct include the following. All information drawn from NYPD reports:

► Two men robbed a Foot Locker store on Fifth Avenue and 14th Street on March 31 at 5:45 p.m. The two suspects both wore sunglasses and black masks partially covering their faces. One suspect told the manager, "Don't f---ing move," then filled up a laundry bag with $1,665 in merchandise while the other suspect stood nearby holding a black umbrella. The pair stole 45 black and white Nike Jordan T-shirts and nine multi-colored Nike tank tops.

The manager told police the store was robbed in late January under similar circumstances.

► A 39-year-old man lost $453 after he fell victim to a scam involving a woman he met on the internet dating site Meet24. The woman's brother told he could "make [him] a lot of money" if he handed over his Citibank debit card. The victim gave the brother his debit card outside the Barclays Center on March 27, then canceled it three days later after realizing he was involved in a scam.

The victim then received a phone call from another man who claimed he was an NYPD detective. The victim handed over his debit card to the alleged detective, and $453 was withdrawn. When the supposed detective later threatened to arrest the victim if he didn't give him $8,000, the victim called the police.

► A thief took $10,000 in tools and equipment from a construction site on 10th Street between Second and Third avenues on April 2 at 3:30 p.m. The stolen items included drills, grinders, wrenches and a welding machine.

► A woman had her $700 Louis Vuitton wallet stolen when she left her purse in a booth for about 10 minutes at the Shake Shack on Flatbush Avenue near Pacific Street. The theft happened on April 4 at 5:30 p.m. The thief made $700 in fraudulent charges on the victim's American Express card.

► A 26-year-old man had his wallet and phone stolen after falling asleep on the subway on March 1 at 12:45 a.m. The victim got on the F train at Second Avenue and planned to transfer to the N, but fell asleep and missed his stop. When he woke up at the Seventh Avenue stop in Park Slope, his Motorola Moto X phone and wallet had been taken out of his jacket pocket. The phone was engraved with the word "Henc."

Overall, major crime in the 78th Precinct has dropped 4 percent this year compared to the same period in 2014, according to the latest statistics from the NYPD.