New-York tribune., 1919-10-13
$4,000 Lost
In RObberies
In Two Weeks
Old Central Office Man Saws
Theatre District Is Alive
With Known Criminals.
Who Move Unmolestcd
Epidemic Shifts to Bronx
Total of $962,9l3 Stolen
Since August in Hold-Ups
and Burglaries in City

While bandits, burglars and petty
thieves, working in the city in the last
two weeks, divided loot valued at $17O,-
600, according to unofficial figures,
known criminals of all degrees roamed
unmolested in the hotel and theatre
district, an old detective said ycstcr-
day.
The crime centre last week shifted
to The Bronx, where the operations Of
the fiat thief. hold-up man and pick
pocket has resulted in the organization
of vigilance committees for the pro-
lection of life and property. Several
arrests have been made, but no ap-
preciable decrease in the activities Of
those who prey on the apartment
dwellers has resulted. A special squad
of detectives has been assigned to run
down the flat burglars.
Since September %, when The Trib
une published an unofficaL1st of hold
ups and lobberies showing that $500
113 had been stolen from New Workers
during August and September, bandits
have obtained $500 in four daring
hOld-ups. In another case, when four
messengers of the Bank of Naples were
held up at Broadway and Prince Street
when they were carrying $4,000 in
cash, two bandits were captured with
the cash by civilians.
Twenty Robbcries Made Public
In the same period, despite the re-
fusal of the police to make known any
figures on the loft robberics, safe rob
berries and burglarles. twenty crimes
Of this type were made public by the
victims. Jewelry silks, furs and manu-
facturers' materials, valued at $4,000,
were stolen. A retired detective who
worked for Years in Central Office told
Tribune reporter yesterday that walk
Forty-second Street he could pick out
burglars, wire tappers and sneak
thieves by the score. This man said
that tho greatest menace to law and
order at the present time is the num-
Der of men with prison records who
are driving taxi cabs. He pointed out
that automobiles now are used in all
crimes, and that if these men were
punished when caught driving without
licenses it would serve as a curb.
The following is list OF the rob-
berries and hold-ups reported to the po
lice and private agencies in the last two
weeks. The amount lost, in addition
to that published in The Tribune of
October l, makes :, tosal Of $962,913. /
The list:
IIoId-ups
Sept 29-Louis Batch, cashier
Of the Strand Roof; held up
by two masked mon while in
his Office Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
sixty, stationer. S35 Sixth
Avenue; held up by bandit. 500
Oct. Joseph Lucccse, ticket
agent. 13Sth Street station Of
subway; held up by four
masked bandits. s............. 700
Oct. 7-Messengers of Bank of
of Naples; held up at Broad
way and Prince Street while
carrying money TO Metropoli
tan Bank (money rccovcred). 81 900
Oct. 9-Mrs. Margaret McCar
thy. seventy, stationcr; held
up by bandit and beaten. 200
Robberies
Sept 29-Fifth Avenue Theatre.
Fifth Avenue and lloth Street
safe blown. Observation-Disclosures. 900
Sept 29-Mrs Leo McCauley. lis
Prospect Park West, Brook
lyn; jewels ...........,..... l.5o0
Oct. 4-Greer, Crane e. Webb,
brokers, II Broadway; mes
senger disappeared with stock. $4,000
Oct. 4-Lutz e. Sheinkman, Hth-
ographers, 2 Duane Street
safe blown; Liberty Bonds and
jcwelry ............... 500
Oct. 4-Charles Reavir, propri-
etor Hotel Anderson, 102 West
Eightieth Street; Liberty
bonds ................... 700
Hollywood Whiskey Company.
1s9 Ckrystic Street, wines and
cash .................. $500
Oct. S-M. Labnsky 103 Blecckcr
Street. mems suits and cash 900
Oct. S-Golula & Cohen, 40 East.
Eighth Street, mems suits 600
Oct. S-1arry Breakstone, so st.
Nicholas Avenue, silverware 800
Oct. 9 - Simon Knobe. 1902
Southern Boulevard, silks ..... 2,000
Oct. l0-Mrs. Pauline Boettger,
independence Avenue and 254th
Street, jewelry ........ 10000
Oct. 10-Lco w. Greenberg. 2lO
West Twenty sixth Street,
silks ...:........... 5000
Oct. 10 Henry Roster, 1101 Park
Avenue, rugs ......... 1900
William Goldman, IS West Eigh-
ty-thrd Street, jewels. .. 500
Mrs. Henry Mason, 1925 Madi-
son Avenue. jewels 1000
Oct Neidcnbcrg {; Co.. 3G2;
Third Avenue silks.... 1900
Oct II -iecht & Fisch 66 West
Thirty sixth Street. silks 1000
a. Spero, 81 West 10th Street
B. p. Il. Manufacturing Com 'VV
pany, and Chester Street
Brooklyn, material ...... 5000
The total reported loss, some of
winch was offset by subsequent re
covery during this period, is $9G2 ,9l3
SnoitI, Droc1n:,,r No. -