Violent robberies
A man pressed a knife against a woman’s throat as her 8-year-old son watched during a robbery inside an elevator at 360 E. 138th St in the Mitchell Houses. Police said that on Nov. 6 at 10 p.m. the victim walked into the lobby with her son and entered the elevator with the attacker. As they passed the 11th floor the man pulled out a knife and demanded everything she had. He took the woman’s black leather jacket, her learner’s permit, and her Medicaid card. When the elevator doors opened, the woman fled to her apartment. Police said she was later taken to Lincoln Hospital and treated for anxiety.
A thief punched a young woman in the face for her iPhone on Nov. 3 in Melrose, police said. The women told police that as she was waited for the bus at 11:40 p.m. on Third Avenue and East 152nd Street a man approached her, punched her in the eye and snatched her phone. The woman refused medical attention. No one has been arrested.
Two men robbed a Chinese food delivery man in front of an apartment building on 520 Tinton Ave. On Nov. 3 around midnight. The attackers kicked the deliveryman off his bicycle and stole the food and the man’s electric bicycle, worth almost $2,000, before they fled south on Tinton Avenue.
A masked gunman stole more than $4,000 from RiteCheck on East 138th Street on Nov. 5. Police said that at 1:25 a.m. a man entered the store dressed in all black, with black gloves and a black mask on, and displayed a black handgun to the clerk. “Don’t press the button,” he warned, “I know who your family is and I have somebody where your mom is.” The clerk handed over $4,200 in $50 bills and the suspect fled on foot.
Trio busted
A 32-year-old man had a handgun shoved into his face when three men attacked him. Police said the robbery happened at 12:42 p.m., Nov. 5 on East 157th Street and Hegney Place near the Bronxchester Houses. The armed thief put the victim in a headlock and pointed a handgun at his head, while the other two other rummaged through the victim’s pockets and removed his phone, watch, and an undetermined amount of cash. Police later arrested Mahamadou Jaiteh, 21, Willie Harris , 44, and Alhuseneu Trawwally, 24. During the arrest police said they found a loaded handgun, more than two ounces of marijuana and a small jar of heroin. All three were arraigned the next day and charged with five counts of robbery, criminal use of a firearm, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, two counts of criminal possession of a firearm, two counts of larceny, and possession of stolen property. Trawwally was also charged with possession of a controlled substance for the heroin. Jaiteh and Harris were both additionally charged with three counts of criminal possession of marijuana. All pled not guilty. Bail was set at $100,000, cash or bond, for Harris and $25,000, cash or bond, for Trawwally. Both failed to post bail and remain in custody. Jaiteh was released on his own recognizance. They will next appear in court date on Dec. 6.
Assaults
A food handler at a Safe Haven residential facility at 345 E 146th St. had a cup of hot coffee flung into his face, according to police. Police said that at 9:03 a.m. on Nov. 6 a woman approached the man, began arguing and then threw her scalding beverage at the man, who attempted to block it with his arm. The coffee struck his arm, as well as his face and chest, and burned his skin. Police arrested Kieyana Waller, 24, and charged her with menacing, second degree harassment and assault in the third degree. Waller was arraigned on Nov. 7 and pled not guilty. She was released on her own recognizance and will reappear in court on Jan. 6, 2014.
A woman was brutally beaten after she refused her ex-boyfriend’s advances, she told police. On Nov. 10 at about 5:30 a.m. the two began arguing inside their apartment at 458 E. 144th St. After the woman refused him, the man accused her of cheating and then turned violent, she said. He slapped her in the face, pulled her hair and began punching her in the face and chest. As the woman fell to the ground the man placed his foot on her neck and pressed down to choke her. When her attacker stopped to use the bathroom, the woman struggled to her feet, called 911 and fled. The man caught up to her outside and attempted to force her back to the apartment until police arrived. Police arrested Gustavo Diaz, 23, who is charged with assault in the third degree, harassment in the second degree and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation. He was arraigned the next day, pled not guilty and was released on his own recognizance until his next court appearance on Jan. 7, 2014 according to the Bronx District Attorney’s office.
A woman stabbed her brother in the chest on Nov. 10 at 5:10 a.m. in an apartment at 197 Brook Ave., according to police. They said that during an argument between the siblings the sister grabbed a knife and attacked her brother. The wounded man pointed the finger at his sister and she told officers, “I am the one who stabbed him.” Karina Y. Garcia, 25 was arrested at the scene and she was arraigned the next day. Garcia pled not guilty and bail was set at $25,000, cash or bond. Garcia remains in jail and will reappear in court on Nov. 15.
A man turned violent when a woman refused to let him charge his cell phone in her apartment. On Nov. 3 at 2:05 a.m. the man entered the woman’s apartment at 519 E. 141st St despite an active restraining order against him issued in Brooklyn. When the woman told him that he could not charge the phone, he choked her, and punched her in the eye, according to police. He then went to the kitchen, grabbed a small knife and asked the woman and her daughters, “Who wants to die first?” before he smashed a cell phone on the floor, snatched another from the apartment and fled, police said. The woman was later taken to Lincoln Hospital. No arrest has been made.
Housing police interrupt burglary
Two men were caught breaking into residences in the John Adams Houses at 745 E 152nd St. at 1:20 a.m. on Nov. 6. A NYCHA police officer spotted a man standing on top of an entranceway awning, attempting to pry open a window, while the other man stood lookout below and scanned the street. According the criminal complaint prepared by the Bronx DA, as the NYCHA officer approached the two men, one surrendered while the other fled. Police later arrested Hector Santiago, 29, and Jose Rivera, 25. Both are charged with two counts of attempted burglary, criminal trespass in the second degree and three counts of criminal trespass and resisting arrest, according to the DA. They were arraigned on Nov. 7. Both pled not guilty and were released on their own recognizance. Their next court date has been set for Jan. 6, 2014.
Van stolen in Melrose
A 58-year-old man’s van was stolen near the corner of Westchester and Forest avenues. The man told police that he parked his vehicle at around 6 p.m. on Nov. 7. When he returned the next morning at 9 a.m., he found his 2005 Chevy Astro Van was gone. Police said the vehicle had not been towed. It remains missing, and no arrests have been made.
Items in Police beat are based on reports from the 40th Precinct and Bronx district attorney’s office. Those arrested are not guilty unless a court convicts them.
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