LOWER MANHATTAN — A thief dressed as a construction worker stole several thousand dollars worth of tools from a construction site at the South Street seaport, police said.
A security guard noticed a broken pane of glass at a construction site set up at the Seaport’s Piers 16 and 17 on May 29 around 1 p.m., police said. When he went to investigate, police said, he spotted a man in construction gear on the second floor of the site. The suspect was attempting to leave the scene with some tools in hand, but when the security guard stopped him, police said he dropped some of the property and fled down South Street.
When workers from various construction companies showed up to the site the next morning, they noticed a number of tools were missing, and one contractor said his trailer was damaged, according to police. Another victim told police his property had been taken initially, but that the security guard managed to recover it when he stopped the suspect. Police say the suspect is 5-foot-7 and was last seen wearing work boots and other construction gear.
He took $16,220 worth of equipment, including drills, lasers, cable cutters, saws, and a Microsoft tablet.
There were no arrests as of Tuesday, according to police, and a number of companies working at the site were unable to provide comment when contacted.
An employee at construction company WDF Inc. told DNAinfo New York he didn’t know much about the theft, but he “had a few tools taken.”
Other recent crimes in the 1st Precinct, according to police, include:
► A construction worker said a man stole his cigarettes and wallet after sneaking into his garbage truck, parked at 138 Fulton St., on June 3. According to the worker, he found the suspect inside his truck and told him, “What the f—k are you doing in my truck?” then told him to get out. Police said the suspect complied, but when the worker went into the truck to retrieve his cigarettes, he notice both they and his wallet were missing.
The man spotted the suspect at a Starbucks across the street, according to police. He said the man had his cigarettes, but claimed he had left the wallet — containing credit cards, a medical card, and a picture ID — in the Starbucks. The victim was unable to find his wallet. The suspect, Marcus Rogers, 46, was arrested and charged with burglary, according to a criminal complaint. Police said he told them, “I was told I can sleep in the truck,” and that the victim’s wallet was “in the coffee shop.” An attorney for Rogers did not immediately respond to request for comment.
► A tourist from Finland left his property on a bench while having lunch in City Hall Park on June 1, but when he went to retrieve it, he found it was missing, according to police. Stolen items include an iPhone 7, a Finnish drivers’ license, several credit cards and a ticket to the Top of the Rock. There were no arrests as of Tuesday, according to police.
► Two men who did not know each other got into a verbal dispute at the Fulton Street A/C subway station on June 1, when one of the involved parties slashed the other in the left arm, causing a laceration, police said. The suspect fled, according to police, while the victim was transported to NY Presbyterian in an unknown condition. There were no arrests as of Tuesday, according to police.
► Five thieves stole 60 fragrance bottles from the Abercrombie & Fitch location at 199 Water St on May 31, according to a police report. Police said $5,489 worth of merchandise is missing. There were no arrests as of Tuesday, and the store was unable to provide comment.
► A woman swiped $1,220 worth of antacids from a Duane Reade store at 250 Broadway on May 26, police said. There were no arrests as of Tuesday, and the store manager would not provide comment.
► A New Jersey man says his lock was clipped at a Planet Fitness establishment at 25 Broadway on May 28, and a thief took his bag, wallet, Samsung Note 3 phone, debit cards and Garmin GPS watch from the locker. There were no arrests as of Tuesday, and an employee at Planet Fitness said he was not at liberty to comment.
► A woman from Florida says her phone was snatched from her bag while she walked on Prince Street and Broadway on May 30, according to police. The woman was walking with her purse zipped shut when she heard her sunglasses, which had been in her zipped bag, fall to the ground, police said. Shortly thereafter, she noticed her bag was open and her phone, an Apple 5c, was missing. The NYPD said she told police she noticed a man walking close behind her and felt him bump into her before her item was stolen. There were no arrests as of Tuesday.
► A thief stole a woman from Portland, Oregon’s bag while she worked at a table in front of the Nike store at Spring Street and Broadway on June 3, according to police. The woman’s iPhone 7 Plus, MacBook, passport, ID and credit cards were all taken, police said. There were no arrests as of Tuesday.
► A thief cut a Manhattan man’s bike lock and stole his $1,500 bike on June 2, police said. The victim told officers he locked his bike to scaffolding in front of 126 Chambers St. at 10:50 p.m., and when he returned the next day, his bike was gone and the cut lock was on the ground. There were no arrests as of Tuesday.
