Friday Crime Blotter: A Burglar Looking for Change & Cab Driver Robberies in Gravesend

police tape
Photo via Harvey K / flickr

CROWN HEIGHTS – Police are looking for a burglar that broke into an apartment in the area of Pacific and New York Avenues last week.

Around 3:00 pm on Wednesday, February 21, the thief broke a window to gain entry to the apartment, then stole a jar of coins, said police. With about $100 worth of change in tow, the suspect then fled the apartment in an unknown direction.

Police described the suspect as a black man in his 20s or 30s, last seen wearing all dark clothing. Surveillance video from the incident can be seen below:

GRAVESEND – Police announced that they’ve linked a pair of taxi robberies that occurred in January into a pattern centered on McDonald Avenue in Gravesend.

Around 3:15 am on Wednesday, January 17, a 46-year old man was robbed as he was parking his taxi, in the area around McDonald Avenue and Village Road. Two men approached the victim and displayed a knife, demanding money, said police. One of the suspects reached into the victim’s jacket to remove a cell phone and $200.

About 15 minutes later, the duo robbed another cabbie on McDonald Avenue, once again displaying a knife and demanding money, said police. In the second robbery, they managed to steal two cell phones and a credit card from the cab driver.

Police have identified one of the suspects as Zamir Stewart, who is described as a 21-year old black man. The second suspect was described as a black man in his 20s wearing a blue jacket and a blue hoodie. Video of the suspect can be seen below:

Anyone with information in regard to any of these incidents is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).  The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are kept strictly confidential.