Crime Watch
BY WILLIAM MATHIS
Grand Larceny The International Lottery named an Upper East Side resident the winner of its big prize. The woman, 86, received a call from someone on May 13 claiming to be the lottery to inform her of her big win. They told her she just had to first pay $9,000 in taxes to receive her big payout. She sent the money via Western Union. The police are investigating.
Cheap EatsA Lexington Avenue restaurant thought it had a fine customer, until the bill came. A woman enjoyed a lavish meal, wine and after-dinner espresso on May 14. But when the bill came, she refused to pay. The restaurant called the police and they recognized the woman. She had been arrested for the same crime just a few days before. Police arrested her again and charged her with theft of service.
Funny MoneyMoney talks, but sometimes it’s a lie. The proprietor of a news stand/deli on Lexington Avenue and East 84th Street thought a 21-year-old man’s $20 bill was a fake when the tried to buy merchandise there on May 15. When the clerk confronted the customer, two plainclothes policemen, who were also in line, overheard the accusation. The officers stepped in and placed the would-be customer under arrest for forgery. After a search, police also found that the man had five fake $10 bills and another fake $20 bill.
Break-InA 33-year-old woman stepped out for lunch and someone stepped into her apartment. The woman left her East 78th Street apartment around noon on May 15. When she came back just a few hours later, a burglar had broken a window to enter her apartment. She reported over $8,000 in missing property, mostly electronics. The police are continuing their investigation.
Car TroubleA man is feeling lost after someone stole his Garmin GPS out of his car recently. The man, 29, had parked overnight on East 93rd Street near 5th Avenue on May 15. When he came to move his car the next morning he found the rear passenger window broken. Inside the car, both his window-mounted GPS and laptop were taken. Police are investigating.