88TH PRECINCT

Fort Greene–Clinton Hill

Sword-wielding burglar breaks into Fort Greene restaurant

A burglar allegedly used an unusual tool to break into a Fort Greene restaurant on Sept. 4.

Police said the suspect used a sword to break the front door of Taqueria Fort Greene on Carlton Avenue at about 6 a.m. Once inside, he allegedly stole more than $1,000 worth of items and equipment, including storage containers and lids, a bathroom hand dryer, and a garbage can — but left the sword on the scene as he fled. The restaurant’s owners discovered the break-in when they arrived later that morning, and found the entire incident recorded on their security cameras.

Cops later arrested the suspect, a 47-year-old man, on charges of burglary, possession of burglar’s tools, criminal mischief and trespassing. 

Late-night robber threatens sleeping man

A creep broke into a ground-floor apartment on Lefferts Place on Sept. 7 and stole a wad of cash.

Police said the victim was asleep in his bedroom at 3:15 a.m. when the perp entered his bedroom, yelled “Where is my girlfriend?” and demanded the victim’s car keys. After the victim explained that he doesn’t own a car, and didn’t have car keys, the perp hit him with a fire extinguisher and threatened him with a pair of scissors.

Desperate, the victim offered to give the robber money to leave the apartment, and offered him $250 in cash. After the perp left, emergency responders treated the victim’s injuries on the scene and determined the perp had entered the apartment by breaking through the glass entry door on the second floor. Officers searched the area but were not able to find the robber nearby, but will check nearby security camera footage to ID him.

Thief snatches man’s watch on street

A robber snatched a man’s watch and threatened him on Auburn Place on Sept. 5.

The victim told police the perp approached him as he sat on the curb near North Portland Avenue just after 10 p.m. and demanded he stand up. He complied and the robber snatched his watch off his wrist — then pulled a knife and demanded the victim hand over his cell phone, too. Hanging on to his phone, the victim fled the scene and toward police officers as the robber ran north toward Park Avenue.

The victim was unharmed, cops said, and only lost his watch.

Teen assaulted at Ashland Place

A group of men attacked a 17-year-old boy at 300 Ashland Place on Sept. 4.

The assailants approached the teen as he sat on the steps at the public plaza at 6 p.m., police said, and asked if he was “D1.” When the victim asked what they meant, the men started punching him, then gave chase as he tried to run away and stabbed him with a sharp object. The teen ultimately got away, and was treated for his injuries at Maimonides Medical Center.