Borough-Wide Blotter
COMPILED BY LIZ GOFF
104th Precinct

Hunt Bank Bandit

Queens detectives last week released a photo of a man being sought in connection with the robbery of a Ridgewood bank.

Detectives are seeking help from the public to identify and locate the suspect who, they say, walked into a Commerce Bank branch at 66-62 Fresh Pond Road on April 2, where he handed a note to a teller claiming he had an explosive device and demanded money.

The suspect fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.

The man is described as white or Hispanic, 5 feet 10 to 6 feet tall, 170 to 185 pounds, with light blonde or gray hair.

Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call the Crimestoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The Hotline is offering a $2,000 reward to anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

108th Precinct

Worker Killed By Marble Slabs

A 19-year-old worker died on March 31 from injuries he suffered when he was buried beneath several 700-pound slabs of marble at his job in a Long Island City warehouse.

Police said Xavier Minchala was stacking 6-by 12-foot marble slabs at New Lime Stone on Vernon Boulevard on March 26 when several pieces crashed down on him.

Sources said when firefighters arrived at the scene Minchala's head was visible beneath the pile of marble. The firefighters had to manually lift the slabs off the Ecuadorian-born worker, the sources said.

Minchala was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center and died on March 31 of multiple internal injuries.

109th Precinct

Flushing Y Worker Charged In Rape Cops arrested a 37-year-old Flushing YMCA maintenance worker on April 5 after he admitted to charges of raping an acquaintance at the facility.

Police said Fernando Weir dragged his 19-year-old victim up a staircase and raped her at the Northern Boulevard facility at about 7:30 p.m. on March 26.

The victim called 911 and sought medical attention following the attack, police said.

Weir surrendered to police on April 5 when he admitted the woman said, "No!" three times before, and during the attack, police sources said.

Weir could face up to four years in prison if convicted.

111th Precinct

Bayside H.S. Students Charged In Robberies

Two Bayside H.S. students were arrested last week after they robbed three schoolmates at knifepoint outside the school on Corporal Kennedy Street.

Police said one of the students, 17, was arrested for allegedly pulling a knife on three female schoolmates in front of the school at 2:30 p.m. on March 29.

Cops said the student and an accomplice, 16, allegedly stole the victims' pocketbooks, two MP3 players, two cellphones and an undisclosed amount of cash

The 17-year-old was charged with eight counts of robbery, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The 16- year-old was charged with eight counts of robbery, authorities said.

School and NYPD School Safety officials refused comment.

Fort Totten Janitor Busted- Again

Prison officials last week arrested a former Fort Totten janitor currently doing time for stealing the identities of Army reservists when his DNA came back as a match in the 2000 rape of a 13-year-old girl, authorities said.

Edwin Gomez, 35, allegedly had sex with the girl in his home on November 7, 2000, law enforcement sources said.

A day later, the victim reported the rape and was examined by doctors at Jamaica Hospital Center. DNA collected during the examination matched a sample Gomez was required to give in February 2006, after he pleaded guilty to stealing the identities and using them to purchase items with the reservists' charge cards, the sources said.

Gomez, who is currently serving one to three years in that case, was charged with rape and endangering the welfare of a child.

He could face up to an additional seven years in prison, if convicted of the rape.

112th Precinct

Gym Robber Sought

Police in Forest Hills are seeking help from the public to identify and locate a woman who broke into a patron's locker at a Lucille Roberts Health Club on Austin Street on January 5, where she stole the victim's pocketbook.

Cops said the suspect walked into the women's dressing room at the health club, broke open a locker and then swiped a purse containing a large number of credit and debit cards.

The woman was caught on a surveillance camera at a nearby CVS Pharmacy trying to use the cards a short while later, police said.

Anyone with information on the suspect is urged to call the Crimestoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The Hotline is offering a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

Bust Phony Hack Driver

Police on routine patrol out of the 112th Precinct arrested a 54-year-old Rego Park man last week for posing as a licensed livery driver. Police said the cops stopped Yousouf Makassa after he picked up a passenger at a bus stop on 97th Street and 63rd Drive.

When the cops checked Makassa's documents, they discovered he had six suspensions on his driver's license and he was driving with a fake taxi license.

Makassa was charged with possession of a forged instrument and driving with a suspended license.