Bushy-Tailed Bandit Brazenly Feasts on Greenwich St. Bulbs Somewhere on Greenwich Street there lurks a fat and happy thief. Do not be fooled by the scoundrel's innocent eyes, playful chirp or bushy tail, says Independence Plaza North resident Ron Capozzoli. This squirrel is cold blooded. How cold blooded? Last month, in broad daylight the bandit stole, and ate, flowers planted by children-nearly 400 of them from the tree beds at IPN. "My wife and I have planted thousands of bulbs in those beds over the years. Last year, we planted crocuses, windflowers and snow glories. Very few came up. My guess is that he has been eating the bulbs all along," said Capozzoli, who caught the squirrel red-handed last month munching a bulb plucked from the soil. The fall-blooming flowers were planted in late September by Friends of Greenwich Street. The group enlisted neighborhood children in the effort. The hope was that by including community residents in planting, the children would take an interest in the beds-and parents would learn to keep their dogs out of them, Capozzoli. said. But somebody forgot to include the squirrels in the conversation. Only weeks after the planting, and just as the flowers' tender sprouts were beginning to break through the soil, Capozzoli witnessed the following scene. "This squirrel came scooting down the scaffolding over 40 Harrison, ran right into the tree bed, bit a crocus sprout off, then dug up the bulb and ate that. The whole time he was just looking at me. Nonchalant," he recalls. "Brazen." Friends of Greenwich Street will try again this month with a community planting at 10 a.m. on Nov. 19. (Rain date, Nov. 20.) "But this time we'll be putting in spring-blooming daffodil bulbs that are planted a lot deeper, and apparently don't taste nearly as good to squirrels," said Steve Boyce, president of the Friends' group. "It was like we are offering him a banquet here on restaurant row," said Capozzoli, who suspects that even though the bulbs will be deeper the squirrel will be back-at least for a taste. "He might get a few, but there's no way he can eat them all before winter."