Steps on Broadway dance studio. Image via Steps.
By Jessica Brockington
A ballerina was arrested on April 1st for her third alleged wallet theft at the Steps dance studio on Broadway between 74th and 75th streets, according to police. It’s the 17-year-old’s second arrest in five months for virtually the same crime.
The teen was first arrested on November 20, 2015 in connection with wallets that were stolen from classmates on August 19 and November 4, police say.
On August 19th, video cameras caught the ballerina using a stolen credit card at CVS, 746 Amsterdam Avenue, according to court papers. On November 4th, she was allegedly seen on camera at Duane Reade, 1490 Madison Avenue, using two different cards stolen that day.
The first two charges against the young lady were dropped by the court on January 28th from felonies to a misdemeanor and the records were sealed. Had she stayed en pointe for the next six months, all charges would have been dismissed: She was given an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal (ACD) that would have wiped her record clean.
Aaron Mysliwiec, the attorney retained by the teen, had no comment on how the April 1 arrest will impact the hoped-for dismissal of her previous charges.
For the current charges, the ballerina is alleged to have been in the locker room on March 9th while her victim was not. The ballerina is seen in video cameras using the stolen Metrocard at the 72nd and Broadway subway station, police say. Right now she is being charged for a Petit Larceny misdemeanor and is scheduled to go to court again on May 10th.
As reported previously in the West Side Rag, wallets were reported stolen from the ladies’ locker room at Steps on March 3, March 9, and March 24. There is no information linking the ballerina to the thefts on March 3 or March 24.
“Steps is a sanctuary,” said Bob Felitte, the business director at Steps. “The dance community is truly amazing. People are open and comfortable and they feel like this is home. You expect that to happen in other places, not here. You never see people carrying their wallets around the studio – if anything they’re carrying music.”
You know the city has gone down the toilet when a ballerina is a menace to society.
Hey West Side Rag commentators…
Should we stop and frisk all the ballerinas coming out of Steps now? It looks like all should be viewed suspiciously after the actions of one.
Siddhartha, did you realize your post would elicit responses that pushed the Ironymeter to eleventy-twenty?
For your logic to make any sense, you have to have the statistics on your side which you clearly don’t. Nice try but major fail.
The only stats I need show that Stop and Frisk was useless.
Ballerinas not a menace? Ha! Hasn’t anyone seen the movie, The Black Swan? Watch out for those tutu’s.
This happened to my daughter at Steps 15 years ago! Ever thus.
This young lady clearly has a problem and will not stop doing this with another slap on the wrist. Hopefully something will be done beyond lowering charges against her, sealing her record and letting her return to our community to steal some more.
“The dance community is truly amazing”
Apparently not.
She must be white or rich in order for there to be this leniency in chartering her.
Excellent: “Had she stayed en pointe for the next six months, all charges would have been dismissed.”
Only Donald Trump will make ballerinas great again.
#neverTrump
Obviously this young lady is in pain and in need of help it would be nice if there was some compassion for aiding her in seeking the proper counseling so that she can look forward to an honest productive life. Many people of all ages have problems that when dealt with properly can be remedied . She , obviously is struggling within herself. . I hope someone can reach out to her and THIS TIME guide her to that help to dance is a great discipline .. Let’s give her that same discipline in her emotional life. I wish her well