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Times Square Batman Allegedly Stole From Tourist's Open Wallet
By
Scott Heins
Published Feb 25, 2016
Modified Feb 25, 2016
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By
Scott Heins
Published Feb 25, 2016
Modified Feb 25, 2016
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A man dressed in a Batman costume was arrested in Times Square Wednesday night after allegedly stealing money from a tourist. The incident took place at roughly 8:30 p.m., and is the most recent in a series of costumed character arrests in Times Square.
According to the NYPD, the Batman impersonator posed for a photo with a tourist, who then opened his or her wallet to get money for a tip. Police say Batman took this opportunity to snatch a large bill from their open wallet (the Post reports it was $50). Police arrested Batman soon after, and have filed charges of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property against the performer. An NYPD spokesperson confirmed that the man is still in custody, awaiting his court appearance.
Last week, two men dressed as Chewbacca and a Stormtrooper, respectively, were arrested in Times Square and charged with aggressive panhandling and harassment, while earlier this month another Batman impersonator was arrested under disputed circumstances. That man, Jose Escalona-Martinez, plans to sue the city for wrongful arrest.
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Scott Heins
Scott Heins is a freelance photo and video journalist based in New York City, and a frequent contributor to Gothamist + WNYC. His work often centers around labor rights, housing, and policing. In 2018-2019 he traveled to four states while covering a wave of public school teachers strikes, with work featured in The New York Times, The Intercept, Getty Images, Splinter, and Bloomberg Photos. Scott is a dues-paying member of the National Writers Union's Freelance Solidarity Project.
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