While on plainclothes detail on the Q Subway, members of the midnight Transit District 34 team apprehended a robbery recidivist for a grand larceny. Sergeant Napoli and his anti-crime team know how important these arrests are because they believe that all straphangers have the right to a safe train ride:
“These kinds of arrests are important because the vast majority of citizens obey the law. As police, our job is to vigorously protect innocent people from those who do not. Policing isn’t just about crime, it’s about serving the public.”
On August 10th, Sergeant Napoli and Police Officers Melkumov, Cackowski, Gjonbalaj, Nurang, and Godeychuk detrained at Stillwell Avenue to do a routine check of every subway car. As they approached the last car, the officers noticed a distressed woman pacing back and forth. When the officers asked the woman if she needed help, she informed them that she had fallen asleep on the train and upon waking had noticed her phone and cash from her purse were missing.
The quick-witted officers allowed the woman to use one of their smart phones in order to sign onto the Find My iPhone application. Using the app, the officers were able to locate the phone right outside of the station. While one officer stayed with the victim, the rest of the officers pursued the thief. The anti-crime team was able to easily identify the suspect because the victim’s phone was pinging loudly in his hand. Additionally, Police Officer Melkumov observed the victim’s picture on the home screen of the stolen phone. The perpetrator was arrested without incident and was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
