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Worker Who Finds Burglar Hiding in Closet Invites Him to Charge Phone: NYPD

By Noah Hurowitz | April 27, 2016 4:55pm
 A burglar managed to get away with stealing eight laptops from a Chelsea office building even after an employee found him hiding in a closet, police said.
A burglar managed to get away with stealing eight laptops from a Chelsea office building even after an employee found him hiding in a closet, police said.
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DNAInfo/Noah Hurowitz

CHELSEA — A burglar managed to steal eight laptops from a Chelsea office building after smooth-talking an employee who found him hiding in a coat closet, according to authorities.

An employee of an office at 114 W. 26th St. found the stranger lurking inside a closet at about 8:20 p.m. on April 22, and upon being discovered, the thief convinced the worker he was just looking for a place to charge his phone, police said.

Apparently believing his story, the employee escorted him downstairs to building security and left him there to ask about a charger, according to Deputy Inspector Brendan Timoney, commanding officer of the 13th Precinct.

The burglar was then able to convince security guards he had a reason to be in the building, went back upstairs and bided his time in another closet until the office closed for the day, according to a police spokeswoman. 

When everyone else went home, the thief slipped out of his hiding place and swiped eight laptops from the office, according to a police report.

The burglar made off with a total of about $5,500 worth of goods, according to authorities.

Police described the intruder as standing about 5-foot-10, weighing 175 pounds and bald.

During a 13th Precinct Community Council meeting on Tuesday, Timoney warned community members to keep their eyes peeled for suspicious behavior, especially considering burglaries are up 34 percent this year, with 71 compared to 53 in the same time period in 2015.

"If someone doesn't look like they belong in a place, call management, call 911, let us know," he said. “It’s got to be a joint effort between the community and the Police Department.”

All other major crimes in the 13th Precinct are holding steady with the same time period last year, or on the decline, he added. Robberies are down from 36 to 28, a 15 percent decrease. Felony assaults are down from 54 to 46, and there's been an 83 percent decrease in car thefts, from 12 to two, according NYPD statistics.