Pitt St. homicide
Police responding to a report of a man shot at 85 Pitt St. on Tues., June 21, at 12:33 p.m. found the victim, Jonathon Alston, 23, shot in the head across from the Samuel Gompers Houses. The victim, a Brooklyn resident, was taken to Beth Israel Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The victim had been arrested previously for violating an order of protection secured by a neighborhood resident.
Bridge antics
Emergency Service Unit police arrested James Stafford, 22, of Connecticut, and Brice Farrell, 25, of Maryland, as they were walking on the crossbars over the Williamsburg Bridge walkway and taking photos at 3 a.m. Wed., June 15. The pair were spotted by a police helicopter on patrol. Stafford and Farrell were charged with reckless endangerment and criminal trespass.
Teens take phone
Three suspects between the ages of 15 and 17 grabbed the cell phone of a Brooklyn woman, 23, as she was walking south on Mercer St. toward Grand St. around 9:30 p.m. Thurs., June 16, police said. The victim had just taken her cell phone out to check on the location of a restaurant where she had an appointment. The suspects fled west on Grand St.
Steals $30,000 Rolex
A man entered the Aloha Rag boutique in the lobby of 505 Greenwich St. near Spring St. at 3:15 p.m. Sat., June 18, lifted the lid of a glass display case, grabbed a $30,000 Rolex watch and fled to a gray car, which drove off east on Spring St., police said.
Soho shoplifter
A man who entered the American Apparel shop at 121 Spring St. near Greene St. around 10:30 a.m. Mon., June 20, managed to make off with 15 pairs of shorts, 12 corduroy pencil cases and two schoolbags, with a total value of more than $1,000, police said.
Deutsche Bank fire trial
The trial of three construction supervisors and the John Galt Corp. for manslaughter in the death of two firefighters in the 2007 fire in the Deutsche Bank building, 90 West St., ended Thurs., June 16. The jury was still out at press time. Jeffrey Melofchik, the demolition project’s safety manager, and Salvatore DePaola and Mitchell Alvo, foremen with the Galt Corp., are the individuals charged in connection with the deaths of firefighters Joseph Graffignino and Robert Beddia.
Union Square crackdown
In the wake of an increase in crime complaints in Union Square Park last month, arrests in the park have increased more than threefold. From January to June 5, police made 98 arrests compared to 30 during the same period last year, according to Geoffrey Croft, president of NYC Park Advocates, which tracks Union Square crime statistics. Police made 65 drug arrests inside the park and around its perimeter between January and June 9 compared to 24 during the same period last year. Last week police parked a Mobile Command Center on the park’s east side.
Motorcycle stolen
A woman parked and locked her 2010 black Ducati motorcycle in front of her residence at 419 West Broadway between Prince and Spring Sts. at 10 p.m. Thurs., June 16, and discovered it was stolen at 11 a.m. the following day, police said.
Musical mischief
A woman patron of the Canal Room, 286 West Broadway near Canal St., told police she was standing in front of the stage listening to the band around 2 a.m. Sun., June 19, with her bag on the floor between her feet, when she felt a pull on the bag. It was gone among the crowd before she was able to see who took it, and contained a sweater, a cell phone and her wallet with $170 and her credit cards.
Albert Amateau
