The Sun has chronicled crime in New York City’s mean streets since its birth in the 1830s, and to this day, the police blotter – now in digital form – gives snapshots like no other into lives gone wrong in the five boroughs’ myriad neighborhoods. Here we 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 It’s also possible that the charges brought against them may be reduced or even withdrawn.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

Lower Manhattan: Busted Serial Groper Had Warrants

A brazen prowler was jailed after going on a touchy-feely tear in broad daylight.

The 29-year-old man was brought up on a barrage of crimes for creeping up on at least four different women — fondling women’s buttocks and breasts. The suspect was reported by a woman who at around 1:30 p.m. dialed 911 after she described being inside Washington Square Park a man with an afro, wearing a jacket, black jeans and black sneakers squeezed her buttocks and ran off. 

Shortly afterward a 22-year-old woman walking along Rivington Street on the Lower East Side called and reported a man fitting the same description who also clenched her buttocks and stormed off. Just before 3 p.m. the same suspect violated a 23-year-old along Avenue A by touching her thighs, breasts and buttocks before again taking off. 

Ten minutes later, a 41-year-old woman called the cops claiming the same suspect grabbed her buttocks.  Cops canvassed the immediate area and managed to track down the suspect. Once stopped, cops learned the accused pervert was wanted on a bench warrant for failing to appear in court back in Sept. 7 for a Midtown bust for assault and harassment. 

Law enforcement sources say the man has a lengthy criminal history and is considered an emotionally disturbed person. 

THE BRONX

Olinville: E-Bicycle Thief Inflicts Beatdown 

A volley of words between two men ended up with one pounding the other into ground and rolling away with his e-bike. 

At around 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 14, the suspected brute was idling in front of East Gun Hill Road in a gray 2005 Acura RSX.  The 44-year-old perp apparently took a shine to the black e-bike and at some point turned cross with the bike owner.  Fighting words were exchanged and the suspect allegedly tuned up the victim with a barrage of punches. While the e-bike owner was suffering on the asphalt from the beating — the perp stole the e-bike and stuffed it into his Acura and drove off. 

The accused pugilist was hit with robbery, assault, petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, harassment, and unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to authorities.

Belmont, The Bronx: Shooter Fires Off Shots Toward Trio

Three people were ducking for cover when cops say a gunslinger blasted several rounds toward them. 

The 20-year-old assailant was captured on CCTV at around 5 p.m. on December 14, pacing down Third Avenue with a black pistol in his hand. The video, according to authorities, shows the accused passing by three people walking by and opening fire on them — causing them to scramble for their lives.  The man’s human targets managed to book it away from the incoming.  At least two .40 caliber shell casings were scattered at the shooting scene. 

The shooter, who does not have a permit to possess a gun, was booked on several charges including attempted murder.

STATEN ISLAND

New Dorp, Staten Island: Fake Christmas Tree-Thrashing Wardrobe Robber 

New Year’s Day became a nightmare in one home.

A woman was first overpowered at the front door of her Coddington Avenue abode around 1 p.m. on January 1. The suspect, identified by cops as a 21-year-old man, managed to force his way inside and then whacked the victim “over the head” several times with her own cell phone. The blows caused the woman to suffer a concussion and bruising to her head and rib cage. 

But the maniac didn’t quit.  He proceeded to hold the woman down on a bed and pummel her with punches, cutting up her face and bruising her body and head. This prompted another resident to stop the intruder.

But the attacker then reportedly grabbed a fake metal Christmas tree and whacked the woman and her defender several times, knocking both down and further into a dazed state. While bothering the woman and the other person were coming from blacking out — the brute snatched several pieces of the clothing from her room and fled.

He was nabbed on Jan. 14 and since slapped with a raft of charges including robbery, assault, burglary, criminal possession of a weapon and stolen property.

Laconia, Staten Island: Lexus Driver Smashes, Overturns School Bus 

A Lexus driver allegedly blew through a stop sign and collided with a school bus sending the driver and young pupil passengers tumbling. 

At around 8am on Friday, a white Lexus sped through a stop sign at the intersection of Norton and Laconia Avenues.  It slammed into the bus carrying 13 people (two adults, the bus matron, driver, and 11 kids — all 13-years-old).  The impact tipped it over.  Everyone was checked out at Staten Island University Hospital as a precautionary measure and luckily appeared to be unhurt.  The Lexus stop sign blower also dodged any serious injury.

The incident isn’t being treated as an accident investigation.  But while charges against the driver aren’t expected, a moving violation summons is pending.

BROOKLYN

Flatbush, Brooklyn: Gal Snatches Straphanger’s iPhone 

A straphanger lost a tug-of-war for her iPhone. 

A 19-year-old woman targeted a 29-year-old mark back at around 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 27. The train was traveling along Nostrand and Newkirk Avenues when the suspect and three young men surrounded the i-Phone owner. 

As two of the men served as lookouts, the woman allegedly drew a blade and demanded she hand over the gizmo.  The young mugger tussled with the woman and ultimately managed to snatch the iPhone from the victim’s hands. The thieving clique creeped away.  The robbed woman suffered minor wounds from the struggle to keep her phone but she refused medical attention. 

The iPhone-fleecing suspects remain outstanding. 

Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn: 15-Year-Old Shot By Vanishing Gunman

A teenager was hit with gunfire while inside of a residential building. 

The 15-year-old boy suffered a gunshot wound to the left ankle on Jan. 14 by a trigger-pulling rogue.  First responders rushed the boy to Maimonides Hospital where he was expected to recover.  Cops haven’t made any arrests and are still trying to piece together the motive that prompted the near-deadly bullets. 

Brownsville, Brooklyn: Masked Bodega Ruffian Blasts Bystander

A bodega became a crime scene when a masked gunman bolted into the place and fired rounds — one of them striking a man. 

It was around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 14, when the suspect stepped into the corner store on Pitkin Avenue and Osborn Street and reportedly shot his weapon.  One of the bullets hit a 32-year-old man in the foot. That victim was taken to Brookdale Hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The motive for the shooting is still being determined and cops are still searching for the shooter. 

QUEENS

Rockaway Beach, Queens: Sloshed Shooter Caught With Weapons Cache, Replica NYPD Badge

A suspected inebriated man who allegedly took target practice outside his home was found to be holding a stash of guns and a pretend shield atOcean Promenade where a 59-year-old man was reported to have fired off multiple 9mm rounds. 

A law enforcement source told The Sun that the suspect was highly intoxicated when handling the gun.  Securing a warrant by around 5 p.m. the same day, officers searched the second floor home and discovered various swords, air pistols, air rifles, and a 9mm pistol (believed to be the same weapon shot earlier).  They also collected two 9mm shell casings from the location. 

The man was brought into custody and charged with criminal possession of a loaded firearm, weapons possession, reckless endangerment and unlawful possession of pistol or revolver ammunition. The suspect, the source said, is a known offender with priors dating back to 1985 that include petit larceny, burglary and fare evasion and drug possession.

Springfield Gardens, Queens: Scofflaw Bolts After Shooting Repo Man

A manhunt is on for a gunman who plugged a repo man with shots while he was attempting to repossess a car.

The gunfire went off at around 11 a.m. on Friday outside the armed car owner’s 128th Avenue home.  The 37-year-old repo man was attempting to take back the car and was confronted by the arrears owner.  They locked horns verbally until the car owner drew a gun and shot the repo man in the ankle. He then sprinted away behind a nearby residential building. Cops and medics arrived. They tended to the repo man who was rushed to a hospital and listed in stable condition. 

A hostage negotiation team and elite Emergency Services Units were brought in to attempt to make contact with the shooter who was believed to have barricaded himself inside an apartment. 

But they were unable to make contact with him. They then burst into the home and found that the suspect wasn’t there. 

At this time of publishing, cops were still searching for the shooter. 

Ozone Park, Queens: Car Thieving Choppers Can’t Outrun Cops

A crew of carjacking speedsters were netted by investigators. 

Cops in an unmarked car witnessed a group work their craft to boost a gray Infiniti (with New York plates) and then quickly chop it up and attempt to evade arrest in a high-speed pursuit. 

The suspected luxury car thieving ringleader, a 26-year-old man, led four cohorts — a 22-year-old man, 19-year-old man, 20-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman — to commandeer a 2016 gray Infiniti.  Cops say the crew struck sometime between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Jan. 9 on 105th Street. They were captured on CCTV rolling up to the Infiniti in a black Audi. 

The driver of the Audi hops out and instantly smashes the driver’s side window of the Infiniti. 

The same man then manages to start the engine of the parked car and returns to the driver’s seat of the Audi. Another member of the crew then exits the Audi, gets behind the wheel of the Infiniti and together they drive away. 

Over a half-hour later — cops notice the Audi (now bearing Illinois license plates) back on the road.  While it was traveling along Hillside Avenue, cops spotted a “gray [Infiniti] car hood tied to the roof of the vehicle” according to the complaint reviewed by The Sun.  They also ran the Illinois plate on the Audi and determined it didn’t match the car’s registration. 

Cops then using their light pack and sirens attempted to arrest everyone in the Audi. 

But that only inspired the driver to hot foot it through several red lights, weaving in and out of lanes, and driving against oncoming traffic — in an attempt to elude the police. 

A pursuit ensued with the unmarked cops trailing the Audi. 

At one point the chopped Infiniti hood tied to the top of the Audi “came loose”, according to the complaint.  The car hood projectile was witnessed striking another car on the road.  Then, the Audi driver appeared to lose control while navigating Farmers Boulevard and rear ended a truck.  Everyone exited — save for one of the suspects whose head was cut up. 

The car chopping suspects were nabbed — with the woman’s purse being found to be holding several key fobs, a key-making computer, and a screwdriver.  Officers found over $3,000 cash.   They also recovered the Infiniti hood and also its car tail lights, mirrors. 

Sure enough the Infiniti (what was left of it) was discovered parked on 91st Street with a busted passenger seat, neither a trunk lid or hood, and missing both its mirrors and tail lights.

Kew Gardens Hills, Queens: Missing Super Found Wrapped In Trash Bags Underneath Couple’s Apartment Bedroom 

An apartment super vanished after attempting to collect rent from a tenant couple. 

The victim’s brother dialed 911 to help track down the missing super.  Arriving officers learned that at around 8:45 a.m. on Jan. 14the — the super, identified as Jose Portillo, attempted to collect rent from tenants living in the 70th Avenue apartment complex. 

The property owner studied CCTV that showed Portillo entering an apartment but never exiting.

When cops knocked on the door a woman opened. 

Then a man returned home and after being quizzed directed the officers to the bedroom.  It was under the bed that they found the 55-year-old, wrapped in trash bags.  The trash-bagged corpse was removed from the home and taken to the morgue for an autopsy.  As for the two residents — the man and woman — they were brought to the local precinct to be questioned about the super’s untimely death. 

As of this publishing there appears to be no charges brought against either occupant and it hasn’t been ruled a homicide.