Cops have nabbed a Brooklyn iPhone bandit who stole the pricey Apple devices to support his tattoo habit.
Emanuel Simon used his ill-gotten gains to have the word “saint” inked on one arm and “create my future” inked on the other, sources said.
While the victims of the 19-year-old gunman were all Jewish, police called that a coincidence and say he was picky about the phones he allegedly stole.
In one case, Simon — armed with a BB-gun — held up a 17-year-old on Jan. 19 in the Marine Park section and then told the teen, “I don’t need it,” when it turned out to be an LG brand phone, sources said.
Simon ‘fessed up to the phone stealing when cops from the 63rd Precinct went to stop him for questioning about the robbery and brutal beating of a Chinese food deliveryman in Marine Park.
Instead of complying, Simon took off, and when cops caught him, they found the black and silver BB gun that looked like a semi-automatic handgun, police said.
Under questioning, Simon admitted to iPhone robberies in Flatbush and in Marine Park — and to the attempted robbery of the teenager.
Simon, who lives in Flatbush, is charged with two counts of robbery, attempted robbery and criminal possession of a weapon. He has no prior arrests.
He was ordered held on $25,000 bail after his arraignment in Brooklyn Criminal Court.
The iPhone is catnip to thieves, so much so that the Transit Police have added 243 new cops to contend with a surge in subway snatchings and the NYPD has doubled the number of decoy cops to catch bandits.
Also, Sen. Chuck Schumer has called for cell phone carriers to implement technology - already in use throughout Western Europe - which disables phones that are reported stolen.
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