Since its inception in the 1830s, the Sun has chronicled crime in the mean streets of the City that Never Sleeps, and to this day, the police blotter – or its digital equivalent – offers fascinating snapshots into lives gone wrong in the myriad neighborhoods of the five boroughs. Our aim here is to chronicle the more curious criminal incidents across New York City that, with local news coverage in retreat, may not otherwise come under a spotlight. 

Please remember when perusing this blotter that arrests do not constitute guilt, and all suspects are innocent until proven guilty. Moreover, the reported items are merely a snapshot of a criminal matter– what is known at the time of publishing. In most cases, the persons arrested for breaking the law haven’t been convicted (yet). It’s also possible that the charges brought against them may be reduced or even withdrawn.

MANHATTAN

Kips Bay: Suspected Trash Arsonist Returns Three Months Later With Knife To Etch “F— U” in Building’s Lift

A man was captured on CCTV back in February kindling a fire inside of a building’s recycling room — only to return in May armed with a blade and intent on leaving an indelibly blunt message. 

The 45-year-old was captured on June 2, after managing to elude capture. Minutes before 9 a.m. on February 21, authorities say that the man had strolled inside a building on East 28th Street. The suspect descended to the recycling and refuse room. 

That’s where he allegedly set fire to a trash can, causing it to melt. Flames swept across the room “scorching the wall” before it was put out by responding firefighters, the criminal complaint states. 

The man allegedly returned to the same building at around 7:30 a.m. on May 28. This time the suspect allegedly entered the elevator bay and using a knife he etched “F— U” onto the sliding metal doors, according to the complaint. 

The tally of damages the suspect racked up as a result of both incidents was $63,000 ($40,000 for the recycling room fire and $23,000 for the tag on the elevator). He was hit with arson and criminal mischief raps. He pleaded not guilty during his June arraignment and is due back in court on September 17, court records show. 

Harlem: Pyromaniac Smoked Out Nightowl Straphangers at Subway Stop 

A suspected firestarter was nabbed on the same day he allegedly ignited a fire at a popular metro hub. 

At around 9:45 p.m. on May 28, cops say the 44-year-old suspect was inside the mezzanine level of the 2 and 3 subway stop on Harlem’s central 125th Street. He was witnessed by fellow travelers to be lighting up paper and tossing the lit sheets into a trash can.

The flames roared and emitted thick plumes of smoke that drifted downwind to a throng of people awaiting a train on the subway platform level. Perhaps expecting some kind of overdue merit badge for tindering the flames — the man wasn’t modest when a cop sought out the culprit. 

“Who lit the trash bin on fire,” the officer asked, the papers say.  And the defendant allegedly wanted the credit, exclaiming, “I did it.”

He is now facing arson and criminal mischief charges. During his May 29 arraignment, the accused pleaded not guilty. 

BROOKLYN:

Canarsie: ‘I’ll Show You Crazy!’ Man Spews Phone and Text Threat Campaign for Year Over Fears Daughter’s Suffering From No TV

A hot-tempered suspect was cooling his heels in custody after allegedly extorting a baby mama over failing as a parent for not fixing a broken or malfunctioning TV.

For a year, the 25-year-old accused called and sent text messages laden with garbled portents. Authorities say the victim was chatting on the phone with the alleged menace from his East 83rd Street home back on June 15 of last year, when he hissed: “I’m going to f— your life up.”

A year later, the same person, relocated blocks away to East 79th Street, turned to text messages. Among the screeds was a dominant theme: TV was on the brain. 

Cops say on April 15, the same person was fed up over the lack of boob tube viewing.

“My daughter can’t be at peace because the TV is messed up,” it reads, adding that he planned to “report” the mother for her parenting shortfalls.  After ranting about “TV” he vowed to make life tough. 

“I’ll show you crazy,” according to the text. “F— you like literally I’m outside [the] precinct [right now]…” He added: “I’m sorry you have [to] face this but you wanted to see how serious I am so yeah… drop TV [or] you could replace it… where you getting a TV for $300.”

The fuming father wasn’t done. He doubled down on the need for TV. “Don’t contact me again, okay, it’s for your safety… “If TV don’t come today, well you know what’s gonna happen.” The victim apparently caved to the barrage of threats and forked over $80. 

The suspect was charged with aggravated harassment for the phone threats, criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny, petit larceny, and more aggravated harassment for the texts. 

Williamsburg: Chalk Scrub Scrolled Swastika and Epithet on School Ledge

A man was busted for a graffiti rap for chalking up a school with an antisemetic message. 

The 49-year-old was captured on CCTV at around 3 p.m. creeping around the premises of the Williamsburg Montessori School grounds on Kent Avenue (a predominantly Jewish neighborhood) defacing a ledge with a swastika symbol. 

He also allegedly scrawled: “Kill N Chew The Jews”.

Cops managed to pin the broad daylight antics to the suspect and charged him with aggravated harassment (swastika on property) making graffiti, and possession of a graffiti instrument.

STATEN ISLAND

Charleston: ‘I’ll Knock You Out!’ Suspected Serial Shoplifter Was Already Wanted for Failing To Appear in Crack Bust 

She allegedly hit a Marshalls, then a Target, and then ended with Ulta Beauty. 

A 62-year-old woman was suspected of going shopping using her five-finger discount. 

She was spotted inside of a Target store on Veterans Road West at around 9:30 a.m. on May 16. It was there that security cameras recorded her lifting five soaps, six snacks, and nine items of clothing. 

She allegedly tossed it all in a bag and skipped the checkout when leaving, according to the criminal complaint. 

The woman had already been banned from the premises for a year based on a previous shoplifting incident from June 21, 2024, the criminal complaint reads. 

The same woman then appeared to enter a Bricktown Way located Ulta Store. There, she allegedly helped herself to two perfume bottles and left without paying a cent. When a staffer followed her out of the beauty chain, the suspect allegedly bawled, “If you come outside to take it, I’ll knock you out.”

At the end of a not-so-hard day’s work, the suspect was arrested outside a shopping center. She was found to be in possession of a glass pipe with a small pebble of white rock (that the cops determined to be crack cocaine). 

The woman’s arrest comes after she was nabbed, during the previous month, for allegedly ripping off a Marshalls on Hylan Boulevard of several beauty products and stashing them in a pink and black bag. 

That incident occurred at 7:40 p.m. on April 29. Cops caught up to her right afterward and, after searching the woman’s bag, they found her with two glass pipes with white residue. 

The woman was charged with drug possession and petit larceny. But she apparently failed to appear in court for that incident; and a warrant was out for her arrest. The woman is now facing the previous charges along with robbery and burglary (not to mention menacing and harassment) charges for shouting threats at the worker.

QUEENS

Flushing: Armed Goons Pistolwhip, Pilfer Pair Entering Suspected Gambling Den 

A trio of hoodlums ambushed a couple entering an establishment that was secretly hosting games of chance. 

A 28-year-old Asian man and 46-year-old Asian woman were ambushed while entering the alleged gambling den located on 37th Avenue minutes before noon on May 29, according to a law enforcement source. A 19-year-old in a hoodie and another accomplice approached the man while a third kept eyes on the foot traffic and police. 

The suspect initially held a hand underneath his hoodie in the shape of a gun and clocked the man before snatching $4,000, three bank cards, and his California driver’s license, according to the criminal complaint. The thieves then accosted the woman — allegedly yanking her purse away and helping themselves to her iPhone and $600. 

Fortunately, the lookout was poor at their one job. 

Cops showed up and managed to capture the alleged pistol-whipper (while his cohort snuck away). A pistol loaded with 11 rounds was seized at the scene. Investigators then eyeballed the alleged proprietor of the den, a 42-year-old man, and marched him away in cuffs.

BRONX

Kingsbridge: Speedy Wheels of Justice for Man’s Suspected Stabber 

A knife-stabbing scrapper was instantly scooped up by determined cops minutes after a gory donnybrook. 

The 44-year-old suspect was jawing with a 33-year-old on Broadway near West 236th Street at around 10:30 p.m. on April 15. The heated exchange upgraded to a physical squabble; with the men trading punches. That’s when law enforcement sources say the elder brandished a small knife and stabbed the rival on the left side of his gut. 

The bleeding victim managed to gather his strength to limp his way to the 50th Precinct stationhouse about a block away. His attacker allegedly trailed him from behind. 

The victim debriefed officers. They quickly poured outside and collared the suspect. 

The arrest happened about 10 minutes after the attack. Both the victim and the suspect were treated for their injuries at a local hospital (the suspect suffered a cut to his right hand). 

The suspect was later hit with attempted murder and weapons possession. He’s due back in court on August 4 after pleading not guilty at his arraignment.

Concourse: Man Goes to Mats Because Acquaintance Didn’t Say ‘Hello’

He got the cold shoulder and allegedly snapped. 

Cops say a 43-year-old man became nonplussed from being ignored earlier in the day when he was passing by a man with whom he was familiar. So when he saw the same acquaintance exiting a train at the River Avenue back on the late afternoon of May 19, he became apoplectic, law enforcement sources say. 

He allegedly groused: “You didn’t say hello to me this morning!”

The two men started to bicker before a blade appeared in the accused grasp. The armed assailant allegedly used it to gash the 46-year-old innocent on his right arm. 

The cut victim was taken to Lincoln Hospital and was able to give cops the name of the miscreant and they were caught up to him and slapped him with assault, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon charges. 

Rikers Island: Inmate Jailed for Fatally Slashing Cane-Walking Man, Charged With Pummeling Correction Officer

An alleged senior slayer is facing the heavy fist of the law after allegedly roughing up a jail guard. 

The 39-year-old, incarcerated for a New Year’s Day slaying of a 72-year-old man walking with a cane is now in more trouble. On May 3, authorities say the homicidal inmate landed a flurry of punches on a female corrections officer inside Rikers, striking her head and ribs. 

The suspect stands accused of attacking an elderly man outside of a bodega. Cops say just before 3:45 a.m. on January 1, the accused had entered and exited a deli located on West 137th Street and Lenox Avenue. That’s when the suspect saw the man sauntering along the sidewalk and demanded he stop walking. 

He then allegedly KO’d him to the ground and with a blade, cutting a 12-inch gash on his neck. The old man managed to stand up again and tried to return to the deli but quickly collapsed and bled out. He was rushed  to Harlem Hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

On top of the murder rap, the suspect is now facing assault while in a correctional facility, two counts of harassment, obstructing governmental administration. 

East Bronx: ‘I’m Not Unlocking It!’: Deli Clerk Caught Vending Untaxed Smokes Denies Inspection… Busted Anyway

The clerk wasn’t offering a warm reception to his task force investigator guests. 

At around 4:30 p.m. on June 5, the 25-year-old man was manning the till of a deli located on Yates Avenue near Boston Road. 

The lawman, who is a member of a joint task force to inspect city merchants, was attempting to perform the routine looksee. But the accused who was standing behind a plexiglass partition with a locking mechanism, allegedly refused to permit the investigator’s entry. 

“I am not unlocking it,” he allegedly uttered. 

The investigator was still able to see that behind the thick glass, the clerk had for sale five packs of cigarette packs bearing Georgia (not New York) tax stamps. 

Once the clerk was placed into custody, a search of the cashier counter led to the seizure of a switchblade. The suspect was charged with selling untaxed cigarettes and tobacco products, obstructing governmental administration, and criminal possession of a weapon.