Manhattan
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A construction worker stole $20,000 worth of silverware and jewelry from a Midtown apartment while doing renovations in the building, court papers state.
Waldin Cartagena, 33, was working in The Osborne on West 57th Street in June 2011 when a resident noticed that valuables she had inherited from an aunt were missing, the documents state.
The thief eventually admitted to another resident that he had taken the belongings, and gave them to the neighbor, the records show.
The neighbor returned the valuables to the owner, the documents state.
Cops arrested the suspect on charges of grand larceny and possession of stolen property, court records state.
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A Lower East Side resident has been missing for more than a week, police said.
Jason Diaz (above), 40, of Pitt Street, vanished from his home at about 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, according to police. He was wearing a brown jacket, gray pants and black and blue sneakers.
The Bronx
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Is nothing sacred?
Two suspects robbed a man of his iPhone, wallet, wristwatch and Jesus pendant in the South Bronx, court documents state.
Barry Norman, 34, grabbed the victim’s jacket on Courtlandt Avenue at about 5 p.m. on Oct. 28, pointed a semi-automatic pistol at him and said, “Give me your chain. Give me your watch, too,” the papers allege.
While an unidentified accomplice acted as a lookout, Norman took a TechnoMarine watch, the chain and the religious pendant, then reached into the victim’s pockets and grabbed a Visa card, a Social Security card, other ID cards, $350 in cash and the iPhone, papers state.
Norman was charged with robbery, grand larceny, menacing, petit larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and harassment. The cohort was at large.
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Two alleged thieves tried to compel a child to obtain cash from his mother’s food-stamp account in University Heights, court records state.
Jose Ozuna, 26, and an unidentified accomplice approached the boy, 12, on Andrews Avenue at about 9 a.m. Sunday and demanded money, documents state.
The suspects then marched the child to a grocery and told him to get cash from his mom’s electronic-benefits account, court papers allege.
The cashier refused to conduct the illegal transaction, so the suspects took the victim to a second grocery store where the cashier also refused, the documents state.
Ozuna was busted on two counts of attempted robbery and attempted petit larceny, and cops found crack pipes in his pockets, records show.
He was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.
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A woman slashed the tires of a man’s SUV to keep him from the company of another female, court papers allege.
Henrietta Hines, 44, slashed the tires on a 2000 Jeep Cherokee on Fairmount Place near Prospect Avenue sometime before 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 20, documents state. She then apologized to the guy, saying: “I’m sorry. You weren’t going to take that bitch anywhere that day,” records state.
She later sent text messages and left voice mails stating, “Watch your backs,” according to court papers.
Hines was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, aggravated harassment and harassment, records show.
Brooklyn
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A woman fought off a robber in Williamsburg, police sources said.
The 29-year-old victim was entering her apartment building near Hewes Street at about 5 p.m. last Saturday when she was approached by the alleged robber, who reached around her neck, held her and grabbed her iPhone, sources added.
But the woman then slapped the suspect, who fled north on Broadway, taking her $400 smartphone, sources added.
No arrests have been made.
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An attacker stabbed a man in Williamsburg, police sources said.
Fernando Lopez, 39, allegedly plunged the blade into the chest of the 41-year-old victim at about 7 p.m. on Nov. 2 on Havemeyer and South Second streets and fled on foot, sources added.
Friends took the victim to Woodhull Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.
About 15 minutes later, a cop spotted Lopez running with the blade in his hand, sources said.
The suspect dropped the knife and told cops he was being chased, sources said.
Lopez was arrested and charged with attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon and menacing, records show.