LIC Spot

After a large scale manhunt, a suspect is in custody for the apparently random carjackings of two luxury vehicles in Queens.

The suspect was taken into custody around 6 p.m. in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

All the incidents happened in Long Island City Thursday morning. The first carjacking was in the vicinity of 21-27 Borden Avenue at 9:30 a.m., while the second was at Van Dam Street and Thompson Avenue at around 9:50 a.m.

Authorities say the suspect, identified as Nicolas Almonte, 27, carjacked a Mercedes at gunpoint, then carjacked a Lexus nearby. The suspect then attempted to carjack a second Mercedes and another vehicle, but was not successful.

Although the suspect committed the crimes while brandishing a weapon, police have reason to believe that the gun is either a pellet gun or a fake.

Almonte fled the third crime scene.

Police were searching for the suspect at his home, his place of business and at his mother’s house.

No shots were fired in any of the incidents, and no drivers were injured.

via WABC-TV

According to WABC the carjacker reportedly works at a scaffolding company in LIC. He’s in his 20′s and has tried to carjack more than two cars and was unsuccessful.

From WABC:

NEW YORK (WABC) – A large scale manhunt is under way in Queens for a man wanted in the apparently random carjackings of two luxury vehicles and the attempted carjacking of a third.

 

All the incident happened in Long Island City Thursday morning. The first carjacking was in the vicinity of 21-27 Borden Avenue at 9:30 a.m., while the second was at Van Dam Street and Thompson Avenue at around 9:50 a.m.

Authorities say the suspect carjacked a Mercedes at gunpoint, then carjacked a Lexus nearby. The man then attempted to carjack a second Mercedes and another vehicle, but was not successful.

Although the suspect committed the crimes while brandishing a weapon, police have reason to believe that the gun is either a pellet gun or a fake.

The suspect, described as in his 20s, fled the third crime scene.

Police fear the man may be acting irrationally and were searching for him at his home, his place of business and at his mother’s house.

No shots were fired in any of the incidents, and no drivers were injured.

Police were monitoring nearby roads, but none of the bridges or tunnels were closed.

The suspect reportedly works at a construction scaffolding company located at the first incident. He appears to have inexplicably walked out of work and committed the first carjacking.

Not actual picture of carjacker.

Police have been on the manhunt today looking for an armed man who carried out two carjackings on Borden Ave. and Thompson St.

The New York Times reports:

The man, who was said to be carrying a black gun and who has not been identified by the police, is wanted in connection with at least two successful carjackings and two others in which he failed to seize the cars in and around Long Island City.

The first occurred just after 9:30 a.m. on Borden Avenue, near the entrance to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel, the police said. A second happened about 20 minutes later and a little more than a mile away near the corner of Thompson Avenue and Van Dam Street, the police said.

The man also tried additional car robberies, in the area, the police said, but he was now believed to be on foot. The police did not specify an area where he was thought to be.

It was not immediately clear what set off the rapid series of robberies in an industrial section of Long Island City or why the man ditched each car so soon after taking each in a violent manner.

The police said no shots had been fired as of late Thursday morning and that there had been no serious injuries related to the robberies. The police were looking into the possibility that the gun was either a pellet gun or a fake weapon.

The police said officers in the area would conduct checks of cars crossing into Manhattan from Queens if it appeared that the man was trying to flee in that direction, though it was unclear if they had started to do so.

Traffic appeared to be flowing normally across the Ed Koch-Queensboro Bridge, the authorities said.

photo by @UnSweetTee via Twitter

Pictures have begun to pour in of the crane collapse. Many people living nearby reporting to have heard a “horrific loud crashing sound”.

News media outlets (and choppers) have stormed the area for this evening’s news.

photo by Eric Hathaway

The 300-foot crane that collapsed today behind the Pepsi Cola sign caused only minor injuries to seven construction workers.

The building under construction where the crane fell is 46-10 Center Boulevard, just behind the famous Pepsi-Cola sign on the East River.

Dozens of construction workers were at the site at the time of the accident.

photo by Eric Hathaway

The building is one of several luxury towers being developed by TF Cornerstone. Several neighboring buildings that are part of the project, known as EastCoast, are already completed and filled with residents.

The crane did not appear to have damaged any other buildings.

The concrete subcontractor, Cross Country Contracting of Elmsford, N.Y., was responsible for the work currently underway, said Frank Marino, a spokesman for TF Cornerstone.

The project will be a 26-story residential tower when completed.

The New York Crane and Equipment Corporation, which owns the crane in Long Island, was involved in a 2008 accident in Manhattan that left two people dead.

Do you have any pictures of the crane collapse? Share it with us at contact@licspot.com

A large crane collapsed at a construction site in Queens.

The incident took place on 46th Ave. and Central Blvd near Long Island City.

Crane collapses at Queens construction site
View all 10 photos
There are seven injuries, however, none appear to be life threatening. Three have serious injuries, and four have minor injuries.

All workers appear to be accounted for.
The building address is 4610 Center Boulevard in Long Island City. It’s a planned 26 story apartment building that is part of TF Cornerstone’s “East Coast Long Island City” development.

The crane was operated by Cross Country Construction, LLC of Elmsford NY. They were the concrete subcontractor doing concrete work at the building.

We’ve just gotten word of a crane collapse on Center Blvd behind the Pepsi Cola sign. There is word of some injuries to crews but none major. More info coming shortly…

photo by Jesse Winter

This morning Council member Jimmy Van Bramer gathered together with local officials and community members (Sheila Lewandowski from the Chocolate Factory, Richard Mazda from LIC Arts Open and Gianna Cerbone from Manducatis Rustica) to protest about the MTA’s closure of the 7 train for the next 13 weeks.

Here’s an abridged version of the event:

We’ve just gotten word from Councilman Van Bramer’s office that a protest is scheduled for the 13 weekend shutdown of the 7 train.

The protest takes place tomorrow (Friday the 28th) at 10am on Vernon Blvd. and 50th Ave.

If you are unhappy about these closings make your voice heard…come and join us!

We’ve just received an amateur photograph of Santa and his reindeers making a quick pass through Long Island City.

It was reported that he would be making a quick stop for an appearance near Rockefeller Center and then begin dropping off gifts throughout the East Coast as the sun sets.

Have you spotted him? Please share pictures with us at contact@licspot.com