Woman's Leg Ripped Off in Hit-and-Run
Police are looking for the driver of a BMW SUV who careened into a 58-year-old woman yesterday evening, tearing off part of her leg. Her 14-month-old grandson sustained cuts and bruises to the head. The woman was getting out of her car on West 139th Street near Fifth Avenue when, at about 6:30 pm, the hit-and-run driver mowed her down. According to the NY Post “the impact sent the woman flying with her shoes landing about 20 feet away.” Her son-in-law, who was getting the toddler out of the car, was knocked to the ground. He was treated and released but the woman remains in critical condition.
Sexy Equinox Ads Leave Greenwich Village
Equinox gym has taken down the illegal and controversial ads that papered its Greenwich Village building. The advertisements—which pictured women and men in various stages of undress—spurred an immediate uproar when they were pasted up a week ago. Community members filed more than 80 complaints with the Department of Buildings and, since the Equinox in question is located in the Greenwich Village Historic District, the Landmarks Preservation Commission got involved. The upscale fitness center was threatened with $5,000 a day in fines if the ads weren’t removed. To the delight of the neighborhood, the giant, unwholesome images have now been peeled down — Curbed has before and after photos.
How To Spot An ATM Skimmer
There have been plenty of ATM skimmers ripping New Yorkers off, but would you be able to spot one? Boing Boing shows you what they call a "chillingly well-camouflaged" skimmer, with a design much less crude than previously seen ones. The devices capture card numbers while secretly filming you punching in your PIN number — Krebs Security notes that this one may have been purchased from an online criminal forum. They say: "Some of the skimmers sold on these forums are extremely sophisticated, incorporating features such the ability to send an SMS text message to the thieves’ mobile phone whenever a new card is swiped." Just check out this insane photo showing the cell phones hooked up inside the ATM. Keep your eyes peeled for pinhole cameras and ears alert for peculiar ringtones coming from the money machines!
Mobster Seeks New Career in Writing
After being released from prison in December, the infamous mobster John Jr. Gotti says he's done with crime, and he’ll try his hand at writing. The NY Daily News reported that at a celebratory dinner with lawyers in Long Island he mourned the hardships of his mafia upbringing and announced his plans for a brighter future. "Trials. Properties are gone. Lost houses. Children in counseling," Gotti said. "I want to try my hand at writing. I want to write about facts—possibly true crime." He also revealed that he’s planning to quit the big apple and head south to Maryland, Virginia or the Carolinas. "I think it's better for everybody if I just do move on. Out of sight. Out of mind."