Park Slope Crime: Don't Leave Your Shit Lying Around Edition

Each week, the Brooklyn Paper's Police Blotter recounts the latest police reports in respective Brooklyn neighborhoods. Yesterday's Park Slope blotter was peppered with the kind of theft that could have easily been avoided if PEOPLE DIDN'T LEAVE THEIR SHIT LYING AROUND

THEFT #1:

A quick-moving thief snatched a fancy wallet from a bar-goer on Union Street on Nov. 19.

The 30-year-old victim told cops that she hung her purse on the back of a chair at Union Hall near Fifth Avenue at 2:30 am, had a drink and returned an hour later. That’s when she discovered that her $600 wallet — along with several credit cards inside — gone.

THEFT #2:

A thief stole a laptop from a woman on Union Street on Nov. 21.

The 22-year-old victim told cops that she left her MacBook and headphones outside a building near Fifth Avenue for 15 minutes, which was enough time for the crook to snatch the gadget and run away.

[Sigh.]

iGetIt: iPhone Snatcher Caught Using App With Cute Name

Say Cheese Motha F*cka

In keeping her finger on the pulse of the average FIPS'ter's concerns, Erica wrote a post last month about a rash of iPhone thefts in the hood. Apparently these gadgets are real hot ticket on the black market: a true testiment to Mr. Jobs (may you rest).

But fear not: a new app has you and your new iphone 4 covered from thieving thievery. iGotYa (cute yes?), is a new app that will use the phone's front-facing camera to take a photo of anyone trying to unlock your stolen phone. Then it emails the photo to the phone's owner. Of course, you may have the same question I have: what does one do when they get this photo? Run to the cops and say, "find this man or woman!" I'm sure my local precinct is just chomping at the bit to catch a nasty iphone snatcher (especially since they're much too busy being dooped by crazy sex offenders). 

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Dog Snatching On the Rise

Image via Do-While.com

According to the American Kennel Club, pet theft is up by 32% percent in 2011, which equates to about 224 furry friends in the first 7 months of the year, compared to last year.

“We are getting reports almost daily of pets stolen during home invasions, out of parked cars while people are running errands and even snatched from dog lovers out for a walk in the park,” said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. 

Holy hell people, this is sad. There have been some reports as of late of pups being stolen in Brooklyn, and I can’t help but think of how many dogs I see tied up to parking meters, newspaper stands and trees in the park. I rarely think anything of it. Perhaps it's because I am not a dog snatcher, but it never really occurred to me why anyone would worry. Apparently we need to pay some attention to the matter here in the ‘hood.

Here are some tips to keep your dog safe:

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