The Blotter: Photographer Illegally Climbs Empire State Building, Then Gets Busted at His Own Gallery While Exhibiting His Exploits

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 It’s also possible that the charges brought against them may be reduced or even withdrawn.MANHATTANChelsea: Skyscraper-Scaling Artists Ends Up in Cuffs at His Own Gallery Exhibit A daredevil photographer was cut down to size when he was taken into custody at his own art gallery show — documenting his scaling the spire of the Empire State Building from last year. Cops picked up the 28-year-old skyscraper exhibitionist at a gallery situated on West 26th Street on the night of May 15. The suspect was charged with base jumping, reckless endangerment, and criminal trespassing for the unsanctioned stunt from July 23, 2024.Authorities lowered the boom of charges against the man who had managed to find a way to shirk the “Authorized Personnel Only” signage, breach the hatch, and scale a ladder to reach the 1,525-foot antenna of the landmark. Once at the apex, the accused documented the antics on video and even allegedly scrawled, “To the moon and never back…,” according to the criminal complaint. The Sun’s attempts to reach the accused were unsuccessful. Published reports noted the outlaw urban explorer’s Instagram account bearing the same moon motto. They also pointed out the distinct clock and smiley face tattoos on his left forearm. BRONXWest Farms: Bodega Terrorizer Slashes Clerk With Deli Knife, Caught With 13 Capsules of CokeA human wrecking ball was taken into custody after drawing first blood. The 27-year-old suspect was inside the East Tremont New York Grill on East Tremont Avenue near West Farms Road minutes before 7 a.m. on June 22. Authorities say the man was unruly from the first, jawing with a clerk. He allegedly leaped behind the counter, grabbed a knife, and slashed the employee on his face, upper left arm and hands, according to the criminal complaint. The accused then allegedly tossed the establishment’s snack shelves to the ground and ripped displays off the walls — littering the floor with merchandise — before trying to bolt.The knife was found tossed nearby and the perpetrator was quickly captured. As police frisked the suspected slasher, they plucked from his backpack 13 clear capsules containing coke. The suspect was subsequently hit with assault, menacing, and criminal possession of a controlled substance charges. The suspect pleaded not guilty during his arraignment the day after the attack.Mott Haven: Bandit Smashed Rental Car Parked at Hotel To Loot Tourist’s LuggageA brazen bandit smashed the windows of a rental car steps away from the Wyngate Hotel and directly in front of the car’s out-of-towner driver. The 42-year-old accused was allegedly scoping the gray 2024 Ford Edge parked outside of the lodging biz at around 9:30 a.m. on June 26. Neither the broad daylight nor the renter of the ride’s presence seemed to give the pilferer any pause. He is said to have smashed a glass window of the SUV and yanked out two luggage bags and a car accessory, the criminal complaint reads. The belongings packed inside of the stolen items contained clothing — but also four pieces of jewelry, the papers say. Responding officers managed to track down the crook. They not only found him in possession of the stolen stuff from the rental SUV, but also of a clear container containing crack cocaine and two capsules of powder cocaine. He is facing auto stripping, criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny, drug, and trespassing charges. BROOKLYNBushwick: Christmas Day Stomper Suspect Caught Slashing Straphanger’s Face, Snatching Her Necklace and AirPodsA bailed-out robbery suspect allegedly switched back into troublemaker mode. The 54-year-old accused brute was nabbed for targeting a 28-year-old woman who was descending the Chauncey Street subway station steps just after midnight on June 22. He is said to have trailed her while gripping a knife and slashed her on the chin and then slugged her several times in the face before taking off from the subway station with her pair of Apple AirPods and cellphone, along with the woman’s backpack containing an external hard drive, cash, and a debit card, according to the criminal complaint.The woman was treated for her injuries (the gash required stitches) at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center.The cops caught up to the woman’s alleged attacker three days later and brought a truckload of charges including assault, robbery, grand larceny, and harassment. At the time of his arrest, the suspect had been freed on bail from a Christmas Day 2023 robbery at Bushwick-Aberdeen station where he allegedly drew a BB gun and yanked a woman’s necklace, a ring, backpack, credit card, and mobile phone. He pleaded not guilty to grand larceny, robbery, and possessing the BB gun. Cops managed to track the suspect through surveillance footage. They even scooped up the BB gun that the alleged robber reportedly ditched underneath the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway at Brooklyn Heights. Flatbush: Man’s Magic Act of Tossing Then Stepping on Smack FailsThere wasn’t much conversation between a police officer and a suspected heroin fiend. The 62-year-old suspect was standing at the intersection of Ditmas Avenue and East 23rd Street on the morning of July 1. An officer, the complaint reads, approached the man who allegedly attempted a disappearing trick: He was seen tossing aside a glassine bag of heroin and then repeatedly stepping on it.The Houdini act didn’t quite dupe the cop, who documented the ruse and quickly cuffed the suspect. He was booked on drug possession and tampering with physical evidence by allegedly trying to trample the heroin. Sunset Park: Family’s ‘Calm Down’ Plea Riles Pepper-Spraying Ruffian A car-kicking screwball confronted two parents and their 2-year-old with a pepper spray canister. The 48-year-old was allegedly stirring up mayhem on 53rd Street near Eighth Avenue at around 2 p.m. on June 24. The accused was witnessed having a tantrum and kicking cars. That’s when the unhinged man was told, “Calm down” — and that only made him angrier. The suspect allegedly pulled out a pepper spray canister and then aimed it at his civilized critics — a man, 24, a woman, 23, and their 2-year-old son, according to law enforcement sources. He then allegedly discharged the potent fluid at the three, causing them to well-up and suffer pain. Responding officers managed to collect the pepper spray can and slapped the suspect with assault, menacing, and endangering the welfare of a child charges. After pleading not guilty at his arraignment, the suspect is due back in court in September, court records show. STATEN ISLANDHeartland Village: Blowtorch-Lit Wild Man Caught Milking Grocery Shoppers for Unwanted Fixes Warns, ‘I Don’t Want To See Anything Happen To You’Who needs an auto garage when you can take your tools to a Trader Joe’s parking lot?That was apparently the thinking of a 20-year-old self-proclaimed repairman who blowtorched innocents’ cars without their consent. The suspected mechanic menace was wandering around the grocery chain’s lot on Richmond Avenue near Nome Avenue at around 7 p.m. on May 3. The man allegedly approached random shoppers with wincing sales pitches. He first approached the owner of a parked 2017 white Mercedes-Benz SL. “Your car is messed up,” he allegedly yapped. “I want to fix it for you. I’ll give you a good price.”The owner apparently demurred so the alleged pyro then set his sights on a 2008 blue Ford Taurus. Without the owner’s say-so, the suspect allegedly took his “dangerous instruments” — including a flaming blowtorch — and seared the side of the sedan.While the charred side of the car was smoking, the suspect had the gumption to demand payment in full. “You owe me $250 for all this work done on the vehicle,” he allegedly crowed. “You look like a nice guy — I don’t want to see anything happen to you.” He continued, “I am going to make a video of you and I want you to say that I just did $7,200 worth of repairs on your car. You don’t want my boss to come here.”The threats of physical violence allegedly compelled the Taurus owner to pay the suspect in two installments over a cash app. A month ticked by, but on June 26, cops managed to track down the suspect and bring a raft of charges against him including robbery, grand larceny, weapons possession, menacing, and harassment. The suspect has denied the ferocious fix-it guy accusations. He was granted $25,000 bail. New Springville: New Nike-Dressed Thieves Deck Worker To Make Escape They wore the merchandise out the door. But they refused to pay. Two suspected five-finger discounters didn’t get far in their swanky Nike threads they allegedly swiped from Macy’s at the Staten Island Mall. The duo, one 21 and his unknown accomplice, were spotted upgrading their getup with Nike sweatshirts. They allegedly decided that the world is their personal catwalk and skipped the register. Instead, they allegedly strutted out of the retailer and as they exited, a store security guard approached them to remind them of their duty to square away the bill. That set one of the suspects into pugilist mode and he allegedly threw and landed a devastating blow to the sentry’s face, drawing blood. The accused perpetrators then tried to make a run for it. Cops swooped in and nabbed at least one of the suspects, according to the criminal complaint. He faces several charges including robbery, assault, criminal possession of stolen property, and petit larceny. QUEENSAstoria: ‘I’m Sorry’: Seasoned Burglar Allegedly Cops To His Handiwork Recorded on Surveillance Video It wasn’t an empty nest. Despite all the years an old pro thief had been honing his craft, he made an especially rookie move. The 66-year-old career crook who served hard time before being paroled was caught in the act of trying to score valuables from a home on 24th Street near 24th Avenue. Cops say the suspect thought nobody was home when he entered at around 2:30 p.m. on June 16. It was then that cops say the man, dressed in khakis and a jacket and carrying a folder, entered the home through an unlocked door and upon finding it occupied by a woman who lived there, all he could squeak was, “I’m sorry,” according to the criminal complaint. CCTV footage pulled from various locations depicted the alleged deviant going door-to-door. Despite getting made, the interloper allegedly slipped away. But only briefly. He was fingered 10 days later in another theft down the block on 21st Street. The same suspect is said to have entered a home whose door was unlocked (and this time vacant). After allegedly getting into the home the crook made off with a handsome takeaway including 200 pairs of earrings, five jewelry boxes, five silver bracelets, 60 beaded bracelets, five watches, 12 silver broaches, an iPad, a Nikon camera, and three Nikon camera lenses.Cops say that they pulled surveillance footage from five houses away and captured the suspect clad in a white T-shirt and gray sweats. The man was nabbed the next day. When he was shown the footage of him during the second suspected burglary, he allegedly took the credit for the thievery by bragging, “That’s me. Did the burglary there.”The suspect is familiar with being on the wrong side of the law since he was convicted in 2009 for burglary and served seven years before being paroled. The man had phased out his supervision last year before allegedly returning to his rotten roots. Rosedale: ‘He Walked Into It’: Ex-Galpal Allegedly Blames Former Flame for Leg StabbingShe wasn’t smitten to see him. A man suffered far more than heartache for allegedly coming in contact with his ex-girlfriend. At around dinnertime on July 1, the man and his 23-year-old ex- were bickering outside a home on 257th Street. Tempers strained and that led the woman to demand that the man scram. “Get off my block,” she allegedly commanded the man, the criminal complaint states. When he refused, the woman allegedly pulled a pocketknife and lunged with it toward the man, stabbing his left thigh. The wound caused the man to bleed badly and led to both cops and medics rushing to the scene. Investigators quizzed her about the fisticuffs, and the woman allegedly told them that the man remarkably injured himself, stating, “He walked into it.”She added, “I came to the door and he didn’t know I had it.” She allegedly said, “I put it right there,” showing the location of the knife wound. The knifed man was spirited to a local hospital to tend to the bloody mess that was his leg. The woman was charged with assault and weapons crimes. Forest Hills: ‘What Are You Going To Do About It?’: Breaking Bad Customer Taunts Jeweler After Robbing $65,000 Necklace A Manhattan diamond dealer claims he was rooked of one of his pricy baubles by none other than a longtime, loyal client. The owner of the business told cops he set up a deal for his customer to purchase a custom $65,000 bauble. The 29-year-old suspect buyer allegedly left a $10,000 deposit for the chain and they met up at the crack of midnight on June 23 on a residential swath of Grand Central Parkway. It was there that the customer, who rolled up to the meet in a red Lamborghini with New Jersey plates, allegedly turned surly, according to a law enforcement source. While holding his hand in his pocket (suggesting he was packing a pistol), he took possession of the jewelry and refused to pay the remaining balance. He allegedly challenged the proprietor with violence, asking, “What are you going to do about it?” He then took off in his luxe wheels. Cops caught up with the suspect and recovered the jacked jewelry that he had been wearing. He was then charged with grand larceny, robbery, displaying a firearm, and criminal possession of stolen property.

The Blotter: Photographer Illegally Climbs Empire State Building, Then Gets Busted at His Own Gallery While Exhibiting His Exploits

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