Friday Crime Blotter: A Basement Burglary, A Would-Be Crook Shook & More

MIDWOOD –  Posing as a Good Samaritan, a man tried to rob a woman at knifepoint on a Midwood street Wednesday. Now, police are asking for the public’s help in finding him.

The incident occurred near East 9th Street and Avenue P around 1:40 pm on Wednesday, May 23, said police. The unidentified suspect followed the 72-year old victim before offering to carry her bags—but once he had helped her, he pulled a knife and demanded her purse.

Instead of handing it over, the woman screamed, causing the halfway crook to book—running down East 9th, headed south, according to police. Video of the suspect can be seen below:

BED-STUY – Police have arrested and charged a suspect in the murder of James Halsey, who was shot and killed in front of his home in early April.

Anthony Vasquez, 28, was arrested yesterday and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon, police said. Vasquez lived just a few blocks from where Halsey was killed.

SUNSET PARK – Police are looking for the man who broke in and stole cash from the register at Spiro’s Cafe Pizza on 4th Avenue earlier this month.

The incident occurred around 4:30 am on Thursday, May 17, when the burglar forced his way into the building at 942 4th Avenue, said police. Once inside, he stole about $400 from the register, then fled in an unknown direction.

Surveillance video of the suspect can be seen below:

CYPRESS HILLS – Police are looking for the man who stole construction tools from the basement of a home in Cypress Hills earlier this month during a basement burglary.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, May 16, around 10:00 pm, said police. The individual entered the basement of 3340 Atlantic Avenue, and removed the tools, but was spotted by the 43-year man who lived at the location, said police. When the victim confronted the burglar, he fled with about $500 worth of equipment.

Surveillance 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 strictly confidential.