FAMILY AGONIZING OVER LACK OF SVETLANA TIPS

New York Daily News; New York, N.Y.; Mar 11, 2003; RALPH R. ORTEGA DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER;

A massive police search continued yesterday for Svetlana Aronov - a week after she vanished while walking her father's dog on the East Side of Manhattan.

"It feels like it's been one long day," said Polina Aronov, 22, the missing woman's daughter.

The Daily News learned yesterday that a second man reported to cops he may have seen the missing 44-year-old dealer in rare books just before Aronov disappeared March 3.

Dog walker Benjamin Gomez said he almost ran into a woman at the northwest corner of E. 68th St. and York Ave. about 2:30 p.m. on the day Aronov vanished. The woman was walking a cocker spaniel.

Aronov is believed to have taken Bim, her father's cocker spaniel, for a walk when she disappeared there about the same time that day.

A parking lot attendant had told police he spotted a woman fitting Aronov's description getting into a cab at that location.

But Gomez said he did not see a cab. "She backed away and turned up 68th St.," said Gomez, who suggests the woman was startled by his basset hound mix.

Aronov's daughter remained at her parents' York Ave. apartment, waiting for any news.

"All we have are these random leads," said Polina Aronov, who contacted Gomez and the parking lot attendant to learn what they saw.

Svetlana Aronov's husband, Dr. Alexander Aronov, returned to work at his Brooklyn practice yesterday for the first time since his wife's disappearance.

[Illustration]
Caption: Svetlana Aronov