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June 20, 2005
Bandits hit Atlantic mall
The Brooklyn Papers
by Jess Wisloski
May 14, 2005
The pickin’s are so good that novice robbers continue to ply — or even learn — their trade at the Atlantic Terminal mall. Officers of the 88th Precinct were kept busy at the mall this week with the bust of four shoplifters in a three-day span.
Lisa Connors, a community affairs officer at the precinct, explained that many of the arrests were of first-time offenders, not hardened criminals.
“You rarely get any career shoplifters or repeat offenders,” said Connors. “We get a lot of kids.”
One of those was a 17-year-old Target shopper who tried to take off with $90 worth of video games.
The man was caught trying to leave the store on March 8, and found to have two video games, worth $89.96 together, in his jacket. Police arrested the young man after he was trapped by a security guard and taken into custody by the store security department.
Another man was caught on May 2 trying to smuggle out two pairs of women’s shoes from the chain discount shoe-store DSW.
Cops nabbed the suspect, 28, at 11:10 am with two pairs of shoes, worth $174 total, tucked under his overcoat.
A 32-year-old woman was busted trying to sneak clothing out of Target in her bag — caught in the act by store security on May 2.
The woman was allegedly seen by a guard at 5:26 pm stuffing items into her shopping bag. The guard pulled the woman aside, and she was later arrested and charged with stealing $94 worth of garments from the store.
And a pickpocket robbed a shopper of $240 after eyeing her at Bath and Body Works in the mall, the victim told police.
As the victim, 22, perused the shelves in the beauty section, she felt the woman following her around the store and standing beside her when she looked at something. When the victim left the store and went to McDonald’s in the mall, the stranger appeared again.
As the victim paid for her meal, the same woman pushed between her and another person, and, reaching over the victim, asked for a cup of ice from a cashier.
Upon leaving McDonald’s the victim realized her bag was open, and noticed her purse was gone, and with it, a $200 Long Island Rail Road pass and $40 in cash.
Posted by lumi at June 20, 2005 09:27 AM