You’ve heard of Whopper freakouts — but Popeyes paroxysms?

That’s exactly what police say happened on March 5 around 3:05 a.m., when a customer got into it with a server at the Popeyes Louisiana Chicken at 108 Delancey Street. When the man’s order didn’t go as planned, he went behind the counter and started hurling grub around, the police said. Then he stormed out, breaking the door with his foot and walking right through it, as shown in the above surveillance camera footage.

The man is said to be 5’8”, with long hair in a ponytail, and glasses. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a black jacket and a button-down shirt over a red T-shirt, with jeans and sneakers.

A Popeyes employee declined to say what exactly prompted the alleged tenders tantrum.

NYPD

The police are seeking a man who is said to have inappropriately touched a young child.

The suspect, a sketch of whom is shown here, approached a nine-year-old girl and touched her on the buttocks around 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, the police said. He’s thought to be in his 30s or 40s, between 5’8” and 5’10”, and approximately 240 pounds, with black and grey hair.

The police didn’t specify where in the East Village the alleged act of sexual abuse occurred. We’ll update this post with any further details.

Ray Lemoine Bracetti Plaza

A man was shot on East Third Street this afternoon in one of two incidents that brought ambulances to the block between Avenues B and C.

The 52-year-old man was shot around 1:15 p.m. by another man who fled the scene; he was taken to Bellevue Hospital and was not likely to die, said the police. No arrests have been made.

Gabriel Escalante, 27, heard gunfire while he was in the kitchen at Rossy’s Bakery, across the street from the Bracetti Plaza public housing development. “I guess they got him as he was leaving his building,” he said. Mr. Escalante said the man, known as Mondo, was a regular customer of the bakery and a “nice guy.”
Read more…

joelogon’s Flickr A toy gun, modeled after the Tec-9.

Police confiscated two Tec-9 machine guns from an apartment at 377 East 10th Street and arrested three residents of the building early in the morning on April 1, a police source told The Local.

The building on East 10th Street, between Avenues B and C, is a former squat house that residents were able to buy from the city for $1 in a deal negotiated in 2002 with help from the Urban Homesteading Assistance Board. In 2003 it was described as “one of the quieter, more well established squats,” so it is unclear why the three residents possessed the guns, which are the same model as the ones used in the Columbine shootings.

Police entered the apartment with a search warrant and recovered the weapons at 4:45 a.m. “These guns were made for killing, there is no other legitimate purpose to have one,” said the police source.

A resident of the building tells a different story, however. Read more…

Roni Jacobson

A man attempted to rob the Duane Reade at Broadway and West Houston Street on Tuesday, the police said.

Around 11 p.m., the man entered the store and handed the cashier a note demanding the money in the register, a police spokesperson said.  The would-be robber was unarmed but “simulated” carrying a weapon. The cashier was unconvinced, however, and refused to hand over the money. “They didn’t get anything,” the spokesperson said.

The alleged robber then fled on foot. The police are currently looking for suspects.

Roey Ahram Webster Hall

On a recent Sunday morning, a reporter for The Local was slouched over the sales counter of a Verizon store, buying a replacement for the Android that had been lifted from her purse the night before, at Hotel Chantelle. As it happened, two women walked in complaining loudly that their phones had been stolen from a restaurant two blocks away from the Lower East Side nightspot, on the same night.

The Grey Lady is a Nantucket-themed restaurant that escalates into a raucous party on Fridays and Saturdays. As at Hotel Chantelle, the music screams, the liquor flows and the crowd presses elbow to elbow. It’s the perfect setting for pickpockets, and they’re after one thing in particular: at downtown’s nightlife destinations, phone theft has become a fixture just like bespoke cocktails and blasé hipsters.

In the seventh precinct, which covers the Lower East Side, grand larceny is up 11 percent this year compared to last year, while overall crime is down 18 percent. In the ninth precinct, which covers the East Village, grand larceny is up 17 percent while overall crime is down 8.7 percent. The increase in larceny was due in large part to cellphone theft, a police source in the ninth precinct said.

On Feb. 9, Jessie Gonthier, 27, was at the Grey Lady for a friend’s birthday celebration. Early in the night, she unzipped her purse, which hung across her body, and realized that her iPhone was missing. Thinking that she must have dropped it, she tracked down the manager. “The manager said that no phones were turned in, but there was already another girl talking to him about her phone being missing,” Ms. Gonthier said.

By the end of the night, Ms. Gonthier had seen about five people claim their phones were stolen, she said.
Read more…

Roni Jacobson

A manager of the Sovereign Bank in Alphabet City is alleged to have pilfered money from a customer’s account late Tuesday afternoon, according to a police source.

The manager fled the bank at 57 Avenue A after staffers accused him of taking almost $200,000 from a woman’s account, the source said.

The victim may have had some sort of relationship with the employee, who is being sought as a person of interest. According to the police source, “the guy took advantage of her.”

Sovereign Bank declined to comment about the incident.

NYPD

Guess someone hasn’t seen those “Shopping 7-11? Shame on You!” stickers.

According to the police, the man shown here used a credit card stolen from Pianos to make a purchase at the 7-Eleven at 142 Delancey Street. The unidentified individual is wanted for grand larceny.

The incident, which occurred Nov. 30, is part of a continued rise in thefts at bars and restaurants. During one weekend last month, there were three incidents at the Bowery Electric and Phebe’s. In October, arrests were made for bag boosting at Bowery Electric.

Annie Fairman Aida Salgado marked the anniversary of her son’s
death in October.

As the investigation into the shooting death of 16-year-old Raphael Ward continues, a trial date in the alleged killing of another area teen, Keith Salgado, remains elusive.

In court yesterday, the District Attorney and Mr. Smith’s lawyer set late February as the date to determine when the trial will be held.

Hockeem Smith, who is alleged to have shot the 18-year-old a little over a year ago, winked at the gallery as he entered the courtroom.

Sitting in the row behind Mr. Smith’s mother and wearing a pin with her son’s photo, Aida Salgado said she was “a little bit discouraged” that a trial date hadn’t been set.

The grieving mother said Raphael Ward’s killing, so similar to that of her son, “really brought me back to the beginning” of the healing process.

“It completely, completely reopened every wound,” she said.

As with the Salgado slaying, some have speculated that Mr. Ward’s killing might be linked to longstanding antagonisms between public housing complexes above Houston Street, including Campos Plaza and Riis Houses, and those located below, such as the Smith and Baruch Houses.

A 16-year-old was shot and killed on the Lower East Side last night.

Raphael Ward was found shot in the chest at the intersection of Rivington and Columbia Streets at around 9:10 p.m., the police said. He was pronounced dead on arrival at Beth Israel Hospital.

State Senator Daniel Squadron, who in October called for increased gun control after a shooting in Campos Plaza, tweeted that he was “heartbroken” by this latest incident and issued a statement reiterating the need to curb the “scourge of gun violence.”

“From stronger gun laws to improved safety at NYCHA developments,” he said, “we are reminded far too often that the time to act is now.”

The victim of last night’s shooting was a resident of the Baruch Houses, one of the public housing complexes that Mr. Squadron and other politicians say are in need of security improvements.

Sources tell the Post that, before collapsing, the teenager ran into a deli and said that a group had demanded his coat. There have been no arrests in the homicide case.

Annie Fairman

Ghostly at Odin, the retail pop-up space at 330 East 11th Street, was robbed at approximately 5:30pm yesterday. The suspect, who a police source described to the Local as a white male, approximately 30 years old, robbed the proprietor of $500 before fleeing in an unknown direction.

An employee of Odin, the menswear store at 328 East 11th Street, who declined to give his name said that a coworker was working with police on a description of the suspect, and that such an incident had not occurred in his two and a half years at the store.

The employee stipulated that he was not at the store when the robbery took place. However he did confirm the general story received from police, including that the man browsed the store and brought a few items to the register to purchase. He added that, when the clerk handed the suspect change from the cash register, the suspect said that he was carrying a weapon and demanded cash. According to police a firearm was not displayed in the incident.

The Michigan-based Ghostly International record label opened a pop-up store on December 2nd in Odin’s next-door retail space. Their website described the collaboration with Odin as “A holiday affair featuring the art, design, and music of Ghostly International, co-curated by Odin.” The pop-up store is scheduled to close this Sunday, January 6th.

Annie FairmanSteve Torres with family, after winning a bicycle in a “Gangnam Style” danceoff

Last Saturday got off to an early start at the Ninth Precinct.

At 2:30am, police were called to Beth Israel Hospital after an 18 year-old man entered the emergency room claiming to have been shot in the hand in Campos Plaza. When the building’s management, as well as Ninth Precinct officers posted to the NYCHA property that evening, disputed the account, the man admitted to having been shot accidentally in FDR Park when handed the gun by a friend. The young man, who lives on East 13th Street but is not a resident of Campos Plaza, was arrested for criminal possession of a weapon.

Annie FairmanJaylynn, 9 and Santa

In the meantime, organizers of the Ninth Precinct’s Annual Christmas Party Giveaway arrived as early as 4am to set up for the event. Local families began lining up in the early morning hours for the chance to receive a gift from none other than Santa Claus himself, on loan from Macy’s.

Three and a half year-old Alicia Pagan waited in line with her mother, Teresa Mojica, for nearly two and a half hours to see Santa, who gave her a doll. Members of the NYPD Explorers youth program served hot cocoa to families as they waited on a line wrapping around the playground across the street and extending down to the corner of East Fifth Street and Second Avenue. Read more…

Assault charges have been dropped against Harley Flanagan, the ex-member of the Cro-Mags who was accused of attacking current members of the band before a July 6 performance at Webster Hall. DNA Info reports that prosecutors dismissed the case during a hearing this morning.

Daniel Maurer Thankfully these weren’t stolen.

The East Village saw a spike in auto thefts last month, according to a police source.

The first theft, of a 1994 Honda Civic, was reported on Nov. 4, with another following on Nov. 16 and a third reported on Nov. 24. The three Hondas (two Civics manufactured in the 1990s and one Accord manufactured in the 2000s) were stolen from East Third and East Fourth Streets, in the area between First Avenue and Avenue B. The theft of models manufactured in this period was most likely for car parts, our source said.

While not a significant percentage of overall crime, the automobile larceny pattern “sticks out,” according to the source, because it is rarely observed. The police estimate that 70 percent of grand larceny auto cases are motorcycle-related. Three motorcycles were also stolen during the 28-day period.

Sasha von Oldershausen

Two men were arrested after a Thanksgiving-weekend stabbing, according to a police source familiar with the case.

Juan Santiago, 26, was arrested on Nov. 23, the day of the incident. A second suspect, Luther Wright, also 26, was arrested four days later.

After being stabbed at 64 Baruch Drive, in the Seventh Precinct, 26-year-old Jonathan Flores walked north across Houston into the Ninth Precinct, where the crime was reported at 950 East Fourth Walk, in the Lillian Wald Houses. He was treated and released within two days of the incident, according to our source.

The report, filed with the Seventh Precinct, cited robbery and assault. Investigators believe the incident was drug-related, our source said.

Daniel Maurer A driver steps out of his vehicle to survey the gas line at BP on Sunday.

Crime during the week of superstorm Sandy was down 27 percent compared to the same period last year, the police said. Still, the week was marred by disputes in gas lines, an uptick in burglaries, and – once again – reports of gunshots in Alphabet City.

With drivers queuing up for gas in the middle of traffic, tempers were quick to flare. Sunday at the BP on Second Avenue and East First Street, the wait for gas was 35 minutes, as 65 cars lined up for more than five blocks. Motorists stopped at red lights honked and yelled at those attempting to cut in front of them from side streets. According to the police, 41 of last week’s 123 storm-related arrests were related to disputes at gas lines.

In addition, there was a six percent uptick in burglaries. 379 burglaries – 54 of them storm-related – occurred from Oct. 29 to Nov. 4. Some of the break-ins targeted evacuated homes, the police said.

Overall last week, there were 86 percent fewer murders, 41 percent fewer rapes, 21 percent fewer robberies and 47 percent fewer grand larcenies. Auto thefts were also down 20 percent.

But Thursday night in the East Village, gunshots were again heard near Campos Plaza. Aida Salgado, a resident of the Lower East Side Apartments, told The Local she heard shots outside of her apartment on East Ninth Street, between Avenues B and C.

A resident of nearby Campos Plaza, who did not want to be named, said he also heard the gunfire. “Young people were yelling and [there were] shots,” he said. “There were detectives and undercover cops around for a long time. But after that, everything was quiet.”

Friday, Deputy Inspector John Cappelmann, the commanding officer of the Ninth Precinct, said there was “very little crime” in the East Village as squad cars patrolled the darkened streets. Still, the week was not without its challenges: on Avenue C and Eighth Street, Police Service Area 4’s station house was flooded, as showed in video submitted to The Local. Many of the precinct’s officers – 15 to 20 percent of whom hail from Staten Island, Deputy Inspector Cappelmann estimated – suffered “catastrophic losses” at home.

Meanwhile, there were bright spots such as the Connecticut resident, Eric Wisberg, who brought a generator down to the station house on East Fifth Street. On Friday, seven or eight neighbors were using it to charge their cell phones. “He probably helped 200 people,” Deputy Inspector Cappelmann said of the good Samaritan.

The police also cited retired officers who volunteered for relief duty via the department’s Retiree Mobilization Plan. Michael J. Dyer drove from his home in Omaha, where he practices law, to Queens, where he helped distribute hundreds of blankets, household goods, and hygiene products that he had purchased on his own dime.

Suzanne Rozdeba contributed reporting.

Arcane Bistro

The woman whose body was found in an empty lot on East Seventh Street this morning has been identified by neighbors as Christine Ebel, an owner of Arcane, a French-Caribbean bistro adjacent the lot.

Bill Rafty, the building superintendent at Eastville Gardens, also bordering the lot, said he recognized the woman whose lifeless body was discovered around 9 a.m. this morning. “I saw her face,” said Mr. Rafty. “I recognized her. I recognized her hair. She’s got dirty-blonde curly hair.”

Mr. Rafty, who would often see Ms. Ebel cleaning up outside of Arcane, said, “She was beautiful. She had many friends.” He believed she lived above the bistro.

Piti Dumitru, who works with Mr. Rafty, described her as a “very nice girl”: “I never saw her drink,” he said. “It’s terrible.” Read more…

Suzanne Rozdeba

Suzanne Rozdeba Looking down on the body (under white sheet).

A dead body was found in an empty lot at 227 East Seventh Street this morning.

Angel Carrillo, 43, a carpenter who lives near the lot between Avenues B and C, said that around 9 a.m., he heard a woman screaming hysterically. When he came to her aid, the woman pointed to a dead body lying face-down on the ground. Mr. Carrillo believed the deceased, who wore calf-length boots, was in her 30s. After telling Mr. Carrillo she didn’t know what happened, the person who made the initial discovery ran away.

The police confirmed the body belonged to a woman in her 30s and said there were no visible signs of trauma, but had no further information about the ongoing investigation.

The lot, where a building was demolished earlier this year, is due to receive a six-story condominium building.

Update 2:50 p.m. The crime scene unit has now arrived. Investigators have been seen entering 111 Avenue C, where a police officer is posted, as well as a garden next to 115 Avenue C that borders the lot.

Pablo, a resident of 229 East Seventh Street who did not give his last name, said that shortly before 9 a.m., he saw the woman from the third floor of his building, and that she was face-up (not face-down, as indicated by Mr. Carrillo), with mud obscuring her visage. She wore a v-neck sweater and black jeans, he said.

The super of Eastville Gardens at 225 East Seventh Street, who was shown the body by investigators, said the woman was wearing a single sandal and not boots as indicated by Mr. Carrillo.

Update | 7:30 p.m. Woman Found Dead On Seventh Said to Be Owner of Arcane Bistro

A Staten Island man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for raping and robbing a 28-year-old woman as she walked to her home on Orchard Street in 1998.

On Oct. 9, Lerio Guerrero, 33, pleaded guilty to rape, sodomy, burglary, robbery, and attempted robbery, all in the first degree, according to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance.

Mr. Vance credits the “All Crimes DNA” law and DNA databank expansion for helping to solve the crime. “Without the state’s DNA databank, this defendant might never have been apprehended,” he said in a press release. “But because New Yorkers live in a state that recognizes the power of DNA to convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent, this crime victim is able to finally see justice be served nearly 14 years later.” Read more…