Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Police seek Astoria laptop robber

From NY1:

Police are asking for the public's help to track down a man wanted in connection with a robbery in Astoria.

Investigators say the suspect responded to an ad on Craigslist about a laptop for sale. They say he then met the seller outside 2840 31st Street around 10:30 p.m. on May 31st.

Police say he sprayed the victim with mace before running off with the computer.

The suspect is described as about six feet tall and in his 20s.

Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-577-TIPS, by texting TIP577 to CRIMES, or by going to NYPDCrimeStoppers.com.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

When will people learn that Craigslist is the preferred choice of criminals and perverts.

Anonymous said...

When will people learn that Craigslist is the preferred choice of criminals and perverts.

Because like anything else, one must exercise a certain degree of caution and personal responsibility. Who would agree to meet at night to sell a lousy laptop?

Anonymous said...

It's amazing too that this thug would take the chances he did for a laptop that you could buy from Dell for $500.00 new.

In my day, you would not have tried anything like this in Astoria because a mob would have run you down and beaten you within an inch of your life. He is lucky the old-time Greeks and Italians are moving, aging or dying off.

Anonymous said...

Craig's list was invented for idiots!

He got what he deserved.

Maybe the laptop he was trying to sell was hot.

Wouldn't that be a kick in the ass to the thief!

Anonymous said...

Nope, not on astorians.com....
but an interesting thread continues on Delis

http://www.astorians.com/community/index.php?topic=15291.0

Anonymous said...

The frightening thing is that many legitimate jobs are advertised on Craigslist and a desperate job-seeker has to be able to sift the wheat from the chaff or use another source.

I recently read one listing for a typist that after listing demand after demand ended by insisting that the applicant be a graduate of a controversial program often identified as a cult.

Now they don't want only your time, work, or talents, but your mind as well--all for minimal wages.

Anonymous said...

May 31st and this comes out a month later? That laptop is long gone, the robber probably sold it on craigslist. The address is wrong, I searched in New York city map portal and no such address exists.

I have bought and sold numerous items on craigslist over the years and have never been robbed even when I, in poor judgement, made some purchases in dangerous neighborhoods. The trick is to use common sense and display the goods inside a public place with lots of cameras and witnesses. Also ask what the person is wearing beforehand and check them out when they arrive. If they look suspicious you can walk away without revealing yourself.

Craigslist is a great place to sell your old stuff for a fair price. A friend of mine went to a pawn shop to sell his old laptop and they offered him a lousy 25% of the original value. He sold it on Craigslist for around 80%.