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Deputy Mayor Ed Skyler isn't just one of Michael Bloomberg's most loyal aides. Or the youngest member of the mayor's inner circle. Or even one the city's most eligible bachelors, an award the Post bestowed on him a few years ago. He's also battling the city's growing crime wave single-handedly! City Room has all the details on what went down in Midtown on Tuesday night:

At about 8:05 p.m., Mr. Skyler, 35, was in Midtown, on 48th Street near Seventh Avenue, on his way to dinner when he heard a scream, the police said. He turned around and saw a young man running in his direction in the middle of the street, away from the woman, Victoria Kress, 41, who had yelled for help. It turned out the young man had just stolen her cellphone, the police said. At that point, Mr. Skyler and at least one other man sprung into action, the police and Ms. Kress said. Mr. Skyler "cuts him off at a right angle, he runs into his path," said Paul J. Browne, the chief police spokesman. As Mr. Skyler reached for him, the youth slipped on ice, and Mr. Skyler, who is taller than 6 feet, confronted him near a parked car.

Unfortunately, the kid later later slipped free and ran off with his friends, so no arrests have been made. Skyler did get the phone back from the thief, though, which leaves him with a partial victory. And, really, when's the last time Kevin Sheekey did anything half this useful?

Deputy Mayor 1, Cellphone Snatcher 0 [NYT/City Room]