This violent predator was arrested for allegedly stealing a soda at the Port Authority — and, in classic “Broken Windows” policing, cops discovered he was carrying a loaded handgun.
Vincent Pierce, 37, who has 41 prior arrests, was held on $ 35,000 bail on Friday — a day after the Rev. Al Sharpton lectured to Mayor de Blasio and Police Commissioner Bill Bratton about how that police tactic is ineffective and unfairly targets minorities.
His arrest was one of two gun busts Thursday using “Broken Windows,” which targets small-time crime in order to prevent more serious ones.
They both got repeat offenders off the street:
■ Pierce, who cops said was also carrying a knife with a pistol-style handle, has a rap sheet dating back 25 years — including arrests for rape, drug dealing, a baseball bat attack, a slashing and beating up several women.
■ Derrick Coley — who was has 14 prior arrests, 11 of which are sealed — was busted 11 hours after Pierce. He was stopped with an open container of alcohol and cops allegedly discovered a Grendel P-12 pistol concealed in his pants, sources said.
His rap sheet includes a grand larceny bust for stealing an Apple Macbook, along with public urination and subway turnstile jumping.
The two gun arrests came on the same day as de Blasio’s City Hall summit with the top cop and Sharpton to address outrage over the NYPD chokehold death of Staten Islander Eric Garner.
Sharpton laid down the law to the hapless city leaders — yet de Blasio on Friday stood by his preacher pal.
“I think it’s a very productive relationship. I’m not afraid of anyone challenging me to do my job,” said de Blasio, who stood by the practice of Broken Windows.
“Broken Windows . . . is about addressing small things before they turn into big things,” he said.
An hour after the 10 a.m. Thursday summit, Pierce allegedly snatched the soda can from a Hudson News stand at Port Authority. He was arrested on the street by Port Authority cops, who found his .45 caliber handgun and knife.
Pierce’s attorney claimed that he paid for the soda and that cops didn’t have probable cause to conduct the search that turned up the weapons.
Around 10 p.m. in Brooklyn, cops spotted Coley, 21, walking with a styrofoam cup and noticed he had liquor inside, sources said.
During what would have been a misdemeanor bust, they saw a bulge in his waist and discovered a pistol. He was busted within 1,000 feet of a Brownsville school, which led to beefed-up weapons possession charges.
Coley was held on $ 20,000 bail at his arraignment Friday.
Additional reporting by Rebecca Rosenberg and Georgett Roberts
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