Man Burglarizes 9 Manhattan Businesses, Police Say

NEW YORK, NY — A man is facing charged for committing nine burglaries in Manhattan. Most of the crimes occurred on the Upper East Side, with some burglaries occurring in Midtown and Lower Manhattan, police said.

Irving Talavera, a 49-year-old homeless man, was arrested Thursday and charged with nine count of burglary, two counts of petit larceny and grand larceny, police said.

Most of the Talavera's burglaries involve breaking and entering into the businesses during early-morning or late-night hours, police said. The man committed at least nine burglaries and stole cash and merchandise worth at least $9,200, police said. Talavera also stole checks worth $28,000 from two businesses.

The man's crime spree began on June 21 when he used a hammer to break through the walls of Shangri-La Nails on Lexington Avenue between East 92nd and 93rd streets in order to enter the business after hours and steal $150 from the cash register, police said. The most recent burglary occurred on Aug. 7, police said.

Here's a full breakdown of Talavera's alleged crimes:

• On June 21 the man broke into Shangri-La Nails on Lexington Avenue between East 92nd and 93rd streets and stole $150 from the business' cash register. The man used a hammer to break through a wall and enter the business, police said.
• On July 21 the man broke into Rocco Steakhouse on Madison Avenue and East 28th Street by using a maintenance door and stole $1,300 in cash and a $1,000 check, police said.
• On July 25 the man broke into Shorty's restaurant on Pearl Street near Broad Street and stole $350 from the cash register, police said.
• On July 27 the man broke into Pure Barre gym on Lexington Avenue between East 88th and 89th streets and stole an undetermined amount of cash from the register. The man broke through the building's glass windows to enter the business, police said.
• On July 27 the man broke into Celestial Cleaners on East 68th Street near First Avenue and stole $4,000 in cash. The man broke into the business by removing an air conditioning unit from a window, police said.
• On July 29 the man attempted to break into Master Barbers on Second Avenue between East 61st and 62nd streets, but was unsuccessful, police said.
• On July 30 the man broke into The Allie Way Sports Bar on East 70th Street between First and York avenues and stole 17 bottles of liquor valued at $900 and $1,500 in cash, police said. The man entered the bar through a cellar door, police said.
• On Aug. 3 the man broke into Little Steamed Buns on East 55th Street and Lexington Avenue and stole $500 in cash and three checks worth $27,000, police said.
• On Aug. 7 the man broke into Bleu Ciel Hair Salon on Lexington Avenue between East 79th and 80th streets and stole a 36-inch flat-screen TV worth $500, police said. The man used a brick to break through the salon's front window, police said.

Photo by NYPD