A recidivist New York City thief with more than 100 arrests on his rap sheet, who was involved in nine shoplifting cases from February through April, according to cops, was cuffed again Thursday at a downtown Manhattan subway station, the Daily News has learned.
James Robbins, 59 was busted around 11:30 p.m. on the southbound platform at the Christopher St. subway station in Greenwich Village after cops received a 911 call of a man “acting up,” causing concern among straphangers at the station, police said. When officers arrived at the scene, they immediately identified Robbins from a wanted flier and retrieved a crack pipe from him, sources said.
“He has a very distinct look,” a police source said.
Robbins, a known shoplifter, was linked to nine incidents of petit larceny, grand larceny and a shoplifting pattern in Midtown Manhattan at department stores since the start of this year.
During March and April, Robbins racked up more than $10,000 worth of stolen clothing at the Macy’s and Old Navy stores at W. 34th St. and Seventh Ave. in Midtown, including numerous pairs of sweatpants, joggers, shorts, shirts and Theory brand clothing items.
He was charged with multiple counts of grand larceny and petit larceny in connection with the thefts. He was arraigned Friday at Manhattan criminal court where his bail was at $10,000.
Before his arrest Thursday, Robbins was already facing a burglary charge in a Feb. 21 incident, in which he and a 41-year-old accomplice are accused of breaking into an apartment building near Christopher and Bleecker Sts. in Greenwich Village. According to police, the two grabbed a garbage bag, forced open the door and stuffed seven packages from the building’s mailroom into the bag; Robbins was the lookout during the burglary and had the bag when cops arrested him that same day.
Robbins has more than 100 arrests dating back to 1982, with most of the charges involving grand larceny, petit larceny and drug possession, sources said.
One of his more recent arrests occurred in September 2021, when he stole $224 worth of clothes from a Queens Marshalls, stashing them in a bag and taking off, according to records. Store employees followed Robbins into a train station, where he pulled out a knife and said, “I have something,” before being apprehended by police.
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