Details Provided on Atlas Park Stabbing and Ridgewood Flashings

By Conor Greene

Details on several recent incidents, including an apparent stabbing at Atlas Park shopping center, another flashing incident in Ridgewood and arrests for pot smoking in Juniper Valley Park were provided to residents at last week’s COP 104 meeting in Maspeth.

Deputy Inspector Keith Green of the 104th Precinct informed residents that major crime is down about 1.5 percent so far this year. Through the first 17 weeks of 2010there have been 464 major crimes reported, down from 472 at the same time last year. In addition, overall arrests for all crimes are up 14 percent this year, thanks to big increases by the precinct’s patrol unit and detective bureau.

Green reported that there has been another incident in the Ridgewood area of a man exposing himself to young girls on their way to school. There were at least two incidents before Easter and the third occurred last week, all between approximately 7 and 8 a.m. in the vicinity of neighborhood schools. While the victims, who are between 9 and 11 years old, were unable to provide detailed descriptions of the suspect, he is believed to be a Hispanic man in his 20’s who drives a beige car.

A man was previously arrested for flashing incidents within the 104th Precinct, but officers have confirmed that the same individual isn’t responsible for the recent crimes. “We think that he is local and that we will get him soon,” said Green. Police later said the investigation is ongoing, with officers from the precinct and school safety squad dedicated to patrolling each morning along routes where children walk.

Green said the investigation into a stabbing at Glendale’s Atlas Park on a recent weekend was stymied when the victim refused to cooperate with responding officers. In response to concerns from local civic leaders, Green confirmed that an incident did occur at about 3 a.m. on April 17 during an event held at the mall’s Simply Fondue restaurant. “Something happened, but we don’t know all the details,” he said.

Police and ambulances were called after a 26-year-old man suffered an apparent stab wound, but the victim claimed he had fallen and refused to say what happened. “We think there was a fight,” said Green. “He doesn’t want to talk about it, and no witnesses came forward.” While the shopping center has a surveillance system, the attack wasn’t captured on tape. Since the victim didn’t confirm the incident, it was not classified as an assault in the precinct’s crime statistics.

The restaurant didn’t return a phone message seeking comment on the incident, and an e-mail sent to mall management wasn’t responded to. While there haven’t been problems at Simply Fondue in the past, police are now checking to make sure their new hours of operation and events are allowed under the terms of their liquor license. “This raised some red flags, so they’ll be getting some attention over the next few weeks since they changed the way they operate,” said a police source.

Green also reported that, acting on complaints from residents, police made 11 arrests for teenagers smoking marijuana in Juniper Valley Park. In three cases, additional charges were added for criminal possession of a weapon, he added, with the arrests taking place during afternoon and early evening hours.

So far this year, most major crime categories have remained pretty level with the same period last year, according to Green. There has been one homicide – the murder of a transgender woman in her Ridgewood apartment – which was quickly solved, compared with one unsolved homicide at this point last year. There have been three rapes so far, down from five, while robberies are level at 66. Despite a rough two-week period, auto thefts have remained relatively flat, with 99 so far compared to 94last year.

Burglaries, which Green said “are always a problem for us regardless of the time of year,” have dropped eight percent from 135 to 124. The precinct generally ranks among the highest in the city for burglaries reported, so “they are always a concern of ours, and we put a lot into reducing that,” added Green. He noted that a burglary pattern was closed out earlier this year and said there are no current patterns in the area.

While there has been a major spike in felony assaults, with 63 so far compared with 39 at this point last year, Green said the increase is partly due to new guidelines for what incidents are classified as such. He noted there have been 57 arrests among those incidents, a clearance rate he called “very high.” Grand larceny has dropped 14 percent to 109 so far this year.

Deception Burglaries and Frustration Over 311 System Plague 104th Precinct

By Conor Greene

This month’s COP 104 meeting in Maspeth Town Hall focused on two issues impacting residents throughout the precinct: deception burglaries targeting seniors and frustration over lack of follow up by officers on complaints registered to the city’s 311 system.

Recent Crime Stats

Major crime is up just more than seven percent through the first six weeks of 2010 compared with the same time period last year. There have been no homicides and one rape, 27 robberies – up one from last year – and 58 burglaries – down one from last year. Auto theft is down one from this time last year, with 36 so far in 2010.

However, there have been sharp increases in felony assaults, with 24 compared with 18 last year, and grand larceny, with 56 this year, up from 47 in 2009, according to Deputy Inspector Keith Green, commanding officer of the 104th Precinct.

In all, there have been 202 total major crimes, up from 188 at this point last year. The good news, said Green, is that arrests are also on the rise, up 15 percent this year for all crimes and nearly 13 percent for major crimes. Over the past two years, arrests are up 24 percent, according to Green.

“So far, we’ve kept the burglaries at the same level as last year, which is very big for us,” said Green. “It has traditionally been a big problem in the 104 and the rest of Queens.”

Police Warn of Deception Crimes

Police are warning residents, especially the elderly, to be aware of individuals posing as utility workers to gain entry into homes. There have been two recent so-called deception burglaries within the 104th Precinct in the past two weeks, according to Green.

The recent incidents have occurred in Glendale and Ridgewood, and are believed to possibility be part of a larger pattern happening throughout the borough and city, said Green. The thieves generally approach the elderly, especially those living alone, and say they need to enter the house to check on pipes or electrical work.

“They convince you they need to access the house to check on something. They are very convincing,” said Green. Once inside, one perpetrator will distract the homeowner while the other slips away and looks for items to steal. In one case, the victim was approached outside her home and allowed them inside before realizing they weren’t legitimate. While she was able to get them out quickly, they managed to steal a check off her table.

There were no injuries reported in either recent incident, according to Green, who said the perps generally don’t get physical and look for jewelry, cash and other small valuables they can quickly grab. “There are professionals who travel around and do this,” the commanding officer said. “Don’t ever let anyone in your house you didn’t call. There is just no reason to,” he said, adding that residents who are approached should call 911.

The suspects in the most recent incident, which took place at a two-family house on Stanhope Street, were described as two white men ages 35 to 45. In the Glendale incident two weeks ago, the victim didn’t get a good look at the suspects. However, a mailman saw the incident and blocked the street with his mail truck. The suspects were forced to back down the one-way street in a silver truck and fled the scene, according to Green.

Tough Times in Upper Glendale

Civic leader Kathy Masi reported that it has been a “rough time in upper Glendale” with a recent rash of incidents in the vicinity of Doran Avenue. In recent weeks, there was an incident with a man flashing a pellet gun after an incident at a nearby bar, along with several attempted and suc- cessful home burglaries.

“We’re convinced that it’s coming right from the block,” she said of possible perpetrators. “We’ve had quite a bit in upper Glendale, and I don’t know what we can do. It hasn’t been a good two months here.”

The burglary incidents have had a “terrible effect on seniors,” added Masi, adding that one woman fell down her stairs and was badly injured while checking to make sure her basement door was locked. “It’s really frightening,” said Masi. “You’re not even seeing what’s going on that doesn’t factor into the [precinct’s crime] numbers.”

No Response to 311 Complaints

A family from Admiral Avenue in Middle Village aired frustrations over a lack of response to complaints they have logged with the city’s 311 phone number.

The family has been dealing with loud music ever since new tenants moved into the home adjacent to theirs. This has led the family to file numerous complaints with 311, only to watch as the complaint is classified online as being resolved, even though the music continues and no officers ever showed up to investigate, according to the family.

“We’ve called 311 and nothing ever happens,” one member said, adding that they are sure no officers responded because they sit outside their house for several hours waiting. “It says the police department responded and took action, but the music doesn’t go off.”

Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said he has regularly heard similar complaints from other residents. “We’re hearing this over and over again. Something is wrong with 311 when it comes to dealing with the precinct,” he said. “This is not isolated – it’s happening all over. We’ve heard this for several years now. This is a legitimate complaint. We’ve got to find out what’s going on with 311.”

Green said he would look into these incidents and check which officers were assigned to respond to the specific calls to see what went wrong.

Precinct Continues Battle Against Burglaries

Traffic Woes, Homeless Camp Among Issues Discussed

By Conor Greene

An effort to combat a rash of burglaries, on- going traffic issues, problems with a homeless encampment in Maspeth and unruly tow truck operations along Flushing Avenue were hot topics at this month’s COP 104 meeting.

Overall, major crime is down seven percent so far this year and down six percent over the past month, Captain Ray DeWitt told residents at the October 21 meeting in Maspeth Town Hall. Among the seven index crimes, robbery is down 13 percent, assault down 11 percent and grand larceny auto 17 percent, he reported.

However, burglaries continue at a steady pace within the precinct’s confines, up eight percent so far this year. There were “some nice arrests” recently, as the precinct has been assisted by the borough’s command’s anti-burglary unit in hotspots. The 104 has “created a mini task force” to address burglaries, which the captain said are taking place “all over the precinct.”

The task force consists of plainclothes officers working with the neighboring 83rd Precinct, investigating leads through pawn shops and checking into whether known prior offenders are responsible for any active patterns. Captain Ray DeWitt reported that two individuals were arrested and linked to a dozen apartment break-ins. Some progress has been made against burglaries, which are down over 34 percent over the past 28 days, a total of 14 less break-ins. “We feel we’re headed in the right direction with burglaries and are focusing on that,” said DeWitt.

Coinciding with the recent progress against burglaries, all felony arrests are up 14 percent this year, and 54 percent over the past month. “A lot of that has to do with the burglary arrests,” said DeWitt. “Our arrest activity has been very high.” He noted that arresting officers are often plainclothes and hard to spot.

The precinct also scored a major graffiti arrest against a vandal with a known tag seen in precincts throughout the borough. The man was hit with 18 counts for incidents “all over the command,” said DeWitt, who noted that graffiti arrests in the precinct are up substantially this year and are near the top among precincts.

The captain was questioned about the precinct’s efforts to reign in reckless motorists and protect pedestrians by residents including civic leaders Robert Holden of the JuniperPark Civic Association and Roe Daraio of Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together. DeWitt said traffic accidents are down 15 percent, with officers specifically targeting seat belt and cell phone violations. “We feel our summons activity, which is significant, has led to the decrease in accidents,” he said.

Still, Daraio complained about conditions along Grand Avenue, which she called a “circus” with cars turning into pedestrians trying to cross with the light. Holden said that speeding continues to be a “sore point” with “not enough [speeding tickets] issued... in this precinct.” After some pressing, DeWitt said the 104 has three officers trained to use the radar gun. “We’ve seen numbers [of speeding tickets issued] that are very low - like two,” said Holden. “That’s unacceptable and we need to start addressing that.”

Another resident requested enforcement along Juniper Boulevard North, especially during rush hour with residents cutting to Woodhaven Boulevard. “I’m not talking 40 [miles per hour] in a 30 - I’m talking about 50, 60,” he said, adding the area has a lot of pedestrians due to the park. DeWitt said he will look into devising a plan to cut back on speeding in that area of Middle Village.

Maspeth residents reported ongoing issues with homeless men setting up camp in Cowbird Triangle, a small greenspace alongside the Long Island Expressway at Hamilton Place. The public recently informed the precinct of the problem at prior meetings, and a beat officer made one arrest and issued a number of summonses since, according to Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell.

“We know they’re over there, but they have to be doing something” illegal to be removed from the area, he explained. “Everyone has civic liberties so if they’re not breaking the law our hands are tied.” He added that the men often refuse city services they are rou- tinely offered and can’t be forced off the streets until the weather turns dangerously cold. While a resident complained that the officers just issue tickets, Bell said that is helpful in the long run because they can be arrested on warrants if they don’t pay the fine.

Daraio said people are making the situation worse by giving the men money along Grand Avenue. “They’re better off convincing them to go to a shelter instead of giving them money so they can go get drunk in the park. That’s not solving anything,” she said.

There are also problems along Grand Avenue, including homeless men hanging out at the Hamilton Avenue bus stop, which is used by local children. Daraio informed the officers of a situation involving men sleeping in a boat in the backyard of a nearby home and suggested that the city Department of Buildings investigate. “The boat issue is something we have to look into and research a little more... to see who we need to work with” to deal with the problem, said DeWitt.

The JPCA recently highlighted a problem with tow truck businesses along Flushing Avenue leaving sidewalks impassable because of cars parked everywhere. The problem was the topic of an NY1 television report last month, but has continued, said residents. Holden said that in addition to cars parked on sidewalks, tow trucks are doubled parked without license plates.

“This guy saw himself on NY1 and doesn’t care,” said Holden, adding that efforts to turn to Mayor Bloomberg for assistance have been unsuccessful. “These guys are using city streets, which is illegal. This area needs to be cleaned up - it’s not fair to the residents and it shouldn’t go on for another month.”

Another resident said similar problems are taking place along parts of Grand Avenue. Officer Bell said the precinct has conducted operations in the past to target tow operations and auto body shops that are operating illegally. “We spoke to everyone along Grand Avenue and they all say it is not their car,” he said.

Complaints Over Precinct's Response Time Voiced at COP 104 Meeting

Update on JVP Tree Destruction, Burglary Pattern

By Conor Greene

At this month’s COP 104 meeting, held during last Thursday’s Juniper Valley Park Association meeting, residents received an update on area crime, including vandalism in Juniper Valley Park. Several took the opportunity to complain that the precinct isn’t responsive to their calls for help, with officers often taking hours to arrive on scene.

104th Precinct Crime Update

Civic President Robert Holden noted that “it’s been a rough summer [in terms of crime], especially in Juniper Valley Park and with some burglaries and robberies in the neighborhood.” Recently, somebody cut down a dozen newly-planted trees in the park using a saw; a $3,500 reward has been offered for information leading to a conviction.

Captain Ray DeWitt, who joined the precinct five months ago after serving with the 110th Precinct, reported that major crime is down seven percent so far this year compared with the same time last year. That number represents a decrease of more than 100 incidents, while at the same time arrests are up 11 percent. “We’re seeing a significant increase in bad guys going to a jail,” he said.

JVP Vandalism Investigation

Regarding the park vandalism, Captain DeWitt said the precinct “has some leads” and is “actively investigating” the recent incident. “We hope to come to a positive end with this,” he added. The reward for information leading to a conviction is being offered by the civic group, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), former Councilman Thomas Ognibene and Dan Austin, president of All Faiths Cemetery.

Holden, who thinks the vandalism was caused by individuals who had been kicked out of the park after it had closed on a recent night, is calling for strict enforcement of the 9 p.m. curfew to “keep some control of the park and stop some of the vandalism from happening,” which tends to occur at night.

Sgt. Lily Austin of the Parks Enforcement Patrol suggested the community volunteers form a citizens patrol group that can help keep an eye out for illegal activity in the park. “We don’t need you to intercede, but when people see that people are taking their community back” it helps prevent future crimes. “We need you to get involved and be the eyes and ears… Pay attention to things that don’t look right,” she stressed.

Holden said that with 1,650 families, the JPCA should have no problem getting volunteers. “We’ve gotten a lot of attention [on the incident] but as soon as that dies down it’s going to happen again. We want to catch these guys,” he said.

Residents: Precinct is Unresponsive

Several residents complained to the captain that they had a hard time following up on prior incidents or that it takes a very long time for officers to respond to calls.

One said that he had filed a complaint against his neighbor, but was told when he called for the case number that the officer handling that case was on vacation. When he called back, he was told the paperwork had been lost. Another said that it took more than three hours for officers to respond to a car accident his wife was involved in on Caldwell Avenue. It happened at 1 p.m. on a recent Saturday, but by 4 p.m. both parties agreed to leave the scene because officers had yet to arrive. He was later told the officers arrived twenty minutes later, with the delay blamed on the fact that the precinct only had two cars on patrol at the time. The resident called the response “absurd.”

Captain DeWitt apologized for the situations and promised to follow up with the residents in private. Still, JPCA member Bob Doocey was critical of the precinct’s track record for responding to calls. “The response time of the 104th Precinct is abysmal, and cops don’t get out of their cars and take a report” when they do arrive, he charged.

Another resident asked about the precinct’s police for responding when residential and commercial burglary alarms are set off. She said hers was recently triggered, yet her neighbor told her that officers didn’t response in a timely fashion. Captain DeWitt explained that these calls aren’t prioritized as high as specific reports of crimes in progress, but agreed that her situation “seems to be an issue.”

Finally, a resident questioned the precinct’s response to 311 complaints. He said he registered a number of complaints about commercial vehicles parked overnight on city streets. However, in several instances, the precinct reported that the problem had been rectified just 15 minutes after it was logged – barely enough time to even reach the scene.

Burglary Pattern

A civic member warned the audience that there have been a number of residential burglaries in the area surrounding Our Lady of Hope, located at Eliot Avenue and 71st Street. In one case, the widow of a deceased police officer was targeted, with “a lot of stuff” taken, the resident reported. He said that in several cases, the perps gained entry by pushing in air conditioner units. “Somebody’s working the area,” he warned.

Holden added that there seems to be a team working the area near Juniper Valley Park, with one person ringing the doorbell while another enters through the rear of the house. He said the incidents have spilled over to the area north of Eliot Avenue in Maspeth.

Quality of Life Issues Dominate COP 104 Meeting

By Conor Greene

This month’s COP 104 meeting, held last Wednesday in Maspeth Town Hall, was a quick session because the officers who usually attend were called to an emergency in Glendale.

With Deputy Inspector Keith Green and Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell called to Glendale to help coordinate the search for a missing 86-year-old man, Lt. Jeffrey Wellbrock took over the meeting duties. Filling in at the last minute, the lieutenant didn’t have details on recent crimes in the area, but provided residents with a chance to air complaints about quality of life issues.

Over the past 28 days, Lt. Wellbrock reported that major crime is up 2.9 percent, but down eight percent so far this year. The only category with a major increase was burglaries, up 25 percent over the past month. Officer Bell later said there is no current break-in pattern within the precinct but noted that Ridgewood remains the hardest hit area.

A resident kicked off the public comment portion of the meeting with a complaint about the pedestrian overpass at the Long Island Expressway near Mazeau Street. She reported drug dealing and drinking at night on the Middle Village side. “Every night he sees it,” she said referring to her husband who routinely walks the dog there. “I wouldn’t even walk over it during the day” due to garbage and debris, she added.

The lieutenant said the precinct would send officers over there to check on the situation.

Next up was Bob Doocey, who related a complaint from a friend who lives on 68th Avenue near 79th Street regarding excessive noise from motorized scooters. “All he hears all night are scooters - he’s being tormented,” said Doocey, adding that the family has a three-year-old baby that is also kept up by the noise.

Dominick Dale from Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley’s office said a resident called their office with the same complaint. “Obviously there are several issues... This is a serious quality of life issue” that threatens public safety, he said, suggesting tougher legislation regarding seizing scooters might be needed.

In response, Robert Holden of the Juniper Park Civic Association pointed out that the police already can seize vehicles - if they can catch them. “There are not enough cops. The legislation is there,” he said. “However, they’re tough to catch because they buzz around and we don’t have enough cops.”

Roe Daraio, president of Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together told Dale she would like legislation that allows cops to ticket commuter vans illegally operating in local neighborhoods. “If they can ticket trucks for off-route, they should be able to ticket vans.” She said issues with commuter vans include safety concerns, lack of accurate route sheets and instances of access being denied based on race.

The problem of auto repair shops using the sidewalk and street to repair and store vehicles, especially along Flushing Avenue near 61st Street, has again gotten worse, reported Tony Nunziato. “The vehicles are everywhere. You cannot walk down the sidewalk,” he said. “I keep getting calls about it, justifiably... They’re using it as a parking lot.”

Dale said that Crowley’s office tackled the problem several weeks ago, resulting in tickets issued by several agencies and the towing of vehicles. He promised to push agencies including the Sanitation Department to again visit the location. “We will keep doing it until they realize it’s a problem area that needs to be heavily monitored,” he said.

Officer Bell reported this week that the missing man returned to his Glendale home Thursday morning following an exhaustive search.

Precinct Readies for Holiday Weekend

Neighborhood Issues Discussed at COP 104

By Conor Greene

Officers from the 104th Precinct will be out in full force over the 4th of July weekend to deal with problems, especially illegal firework shows, local residents were informed during this month’s COP 104 meeting, held last week in Middle Village.

Community Affairs Officer Tommy Bell told the crowd during last Thursday’s Juniper Park Civic Association meeting that a full compliment of officers will be on duty to respond to the numerous calls the precinct receives every holiday weekend. In particular, officers will be on the lookout for illegal firework displays and will have manpower concentrated in known “problem areas” including Juniper Valley Park and Fresh Pond Road.

“It is going to be a really busy day – obviously we get a lot of calls on the Fourth of July,” said Officer Bell. “We know where these [problem] areas are and respond to calls pretty much all night.”

Overall, crime is down about eight percent across the precinct, with a decrease in every category with the exception of a minor increase in burglaries, according to Bell. So far this year, there has been one murder – the unsolved killing of a Ridgewood man – compared with four last year, which were all in connection with the fatal fire on Father’s Day 2008.

Among the rest of the major crimes, there have been 112 robberies this year compared with 127 last year; 55 felony assaults compared with 62, 197 burglaries, up from 195 at the same time last year; 217 grand larcenies compared with 241; and 143 auto thefts compared to 158 last year.

Neighborhood Complaints

During the public portion of the meeting, Maspeth resident Tony Nunziato asked if anything could be done to cut down on motorcycle noise in residential areas. “It’s horrendous. You can’t even hear yourself think,” he said. “They’re being harassed by the noise,” he said of the affected residents.

Officer Bell reported that the precinct has been aggressive lately in terms of confiscating motorcycles when possible. So far, 24 have been seized this year, including four this week. “We have a very active highway unit in the 104,” he said, adding that four-wheelers are also becoming a problem, especially in Middle Village. “They’re not just putting themselves in danger, they’re putting others in danger as well,” said Officer Bell. “We want you out there riding safely and licensed… otherwise we’ll take them.”

Another resident asked if anything can be done about commercial vehicles including limousines and taxis parking on residential streets overnight, taking up three spaces. Unfortunately, Officer Bell explained that while most commercial vehicles can’t be left on residential streets overnight, it is legal for limoand taxi drivers to do so under the current law.

Nunziato blamed this situation on industry lobbyists who have influence over elected officials. “Limos should not be on the street… They make money off of it, so why isn’t it commercial?” he said. “They’re really sidestepping the law, and we have to make our elected officials push [against it] because I see more and more of it in this area.” He reminded residents that a car can be ticketed and towed if it remains in one location for more than seven days.

Crime Down, Arrests Up Across 104th Precinct

Brooklyn Pair Charged in 20 Local Burglaries

By Conor Greene

Major crime is down nearly eight percent in the 104th Precinct through the first 20 weeks of 2009, residents learned at last Wednesday’s COP 104 meeting in Maspeth Town Hall. While burglaries mark the only major crime to have increased so far this year, residents learned of a major arrest police officials hope will put a dent in that category.

To date, arrests are up by 17 percent for all crimes, and up 30 percent for major crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft. According to Deputy Inspector Keith Green, there have been 580 major crimes so far this year within the precinct, which covers Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village, compared to 629 at the same time last year.

Notably, robberies are down 11 percent, with 83 so far compared to 93 through the first 20 weeks of 2008. Felony assaults are down seven from last year to 41, while car thefts are down slightly, with 120 so far compared to 129 last year. The biggest improvement has come in grand larceny, with 164 this year compared to 199 last year, a decrease of more than 17 percent.

Major Burglary Arrest

On the flip side, burglary marks the only major crime that has increased compared to last year, according to Deputy Inspector Green, with 164 in 2009 compared to 152 at the same point last year, an eight percent jump. However, he hopes burglary incidents slow down with the arrest of two individuals responsible for at least 20 residential breakins in the Glendale area.

Helen Velasquez, 43, and Jose DeJesus, 22, were responsible for a “very noticeable” burglary pattern between 65th and 67th streets and Otto and Central avenues in Glendale, according to Deputy Inspector Green. Velasquez, of 387 Woodbine Street and DeJesus, of 218 Boerum Street, were recently caught breaking into a home and have been charged in connection with 20 incidents. They may be charged in additional break-ins as the investigation unfolds, said Deputy Inspector Green. “That is how burglary tends to go- one or two people can really hit us hard,” he said.

Overall, burglaries have been “spread out” across the precinct, with about 70% targeting residences and 30% commercial buildings, said Deputy Inspector Green. “They really are pretty well spread out when we don’t have a pattern,” he said, noting that the current residential/commercial ratio has been skewed by the rash of Glendale burglaries. Those perpetrators were targeting residences both at night and during the day, mainly entering through windows accessed by fire escapes and roofs.

Rounding out the major crime statistics, there has been one murder this year – the unsolved killing of 64-year-old Rosario Prestigiacomo inside his home at 20-33 Green Avenue in Ridgewood. Police responding to a 911 call at about 2:15 p.m. on February 10 found the Italian landlord lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds. There were no murders at the same time last year, and all four homicides that eventually occurred within the precinct in 2008 were connected to a fatal fire on Metropolitan Avenue that investigators say was deliberately set. There have been seven rapes this year compared to eight last year, and there have been 120 car thefts so far, a decrease of 9.

Residents Express Concerns

During the public comment portion of the meeting, Roe Dario, president of the civic group Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together, asked the precinct about cracking down on unauthorized commuter vans, which she said cause traffic issues.

“There are a lot of open issues with the vans, so civically we don’t want them in our community,” she said. “Hopefully we can get them out of here… We have enough traffic.” Deputy Inspector Green said the precinct is working on a crackdown of commuter vans, which must get a permit from the city to be legal.

However, there was one issue raised at the meeting that the deputy inspector declined to comment on. A resident asked about potential funding cuts the NYPD is facing due to the city’s budget woes, and rumors that civilian administrative jobs would be cut. Under that scenario, uniformed officers would be taken off the streets and put into those administrative roles, the resident claimed, asking how that situation would impact the 104th Precinct specifically.

“Right now it is just ‘a what if’ [scenario] and is not an issue I’m free to discuss,” responded Deputy Inspector Green. He told the resident he must contact NYPD headquarters at One Police Plaza about that issue and noted that the precinct is currently fully staffed to the same levels as two years ago.

Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, asked the precinct to crack down on vandalism in the park. He said that several trees were recently planted throughout the 55-acre park in Middle Village and already some have been snapped by vandals. “It is most likely youth hanging out in the park,” he said, adding that there have been incidents of vandalism almost nightly and noting that the bleacher area near the roller hockey rink has become a “big hangout.”

Another resident asked Deputy Inspector Green to address speeding along 77th Place between Caldwell Avenue and 58th Avenue. “I tell you I hear the engines as they go racing down that block,” the resident said.

Finally, a resident complained about noise and disturbances at the Moonlight Bar, which he said prompted him to call the precinct and 311 numerous times. “I know it’s minor for you guys, but what can I do?” he asked the officers. He said a lot of the problem stems from the fact that the bar’s front door is often left open as a DJ plays music inside. When neighbors complained, the “owners said call the police, we don’t care,” the resident said.

Deputy Inspector Green said officers have “been there quite a bit lately” to deal with calls. He said the bar at 6058 Flushing Avenue in Maspeth “is on our list” of establishments that have received numerous complaints in recent months. He said the bar “has had problems in the past, was shut down for a while, then reopened and was okay for a while, and is now a problem again.” He said the Community Board 5 has also received “a lot of calls” regarding Moonlight Bar.

Residents Appeal to 104th Precinct for Help

Battling Burglaries, Vandalism, Drunks in Maspeth

By Conor Greene

Despite the bitter cold weather, a group of Maspeth residents descended on the recent COP 104 meeting to bring attention to issues including several recent burglaries and packs of unruly teenagers who they say terrorize the neighborhood after leaving a nearby bar every Monday night.

The meeting last Wednesday in Maspeth Town Hall began with a review of 2008 crime statistics within the 104th Precinct, specifically the seven major crimes: homicide, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny and auto theft.

2008 Crime Statistics

Despite the major crime numbers being “through the roof in June,” the precinct finished the year down about two percent from 2007, according to its executive officer, Captain Ralph Forgione.

There were four homicides last year - all in connection with the Father’s Day fire on 69th Street - which equals the total from 2007. There were 18 rapes, up from 12 the prior year. In most cases, the victim knew the assailant, noted Captain Forgione. “It is not a serial rapist,” he told residents. “It wasn’t as bad as it seems.”

There were 297 robberies in 2008, down one incident from 2007. The precinct made big gains in fighting felony assaults, with 132 last year, compared to 159 the prior year, a 17 percent decrease. “We were very happy with that,” said Captain Forgione, adding that many of the incidents take place at or near bars.

There was also a large decrease in burglaries, with 387 last year compared to 456, a 15 percent decrease. “That is one of the hardest to fight,” said Captain Forgione. “You have two minutes to catch the person going in. The burglary team did an unbelievable job.”

One area that saw a spike in incidents was grand larcenies, which include theft of purses and other unattended property. There were 508 incidents in 2008, compared to 437 the prior twelve months, a 16 percent increase. “You would not believe how many people leave purses and wallets in their cars,” said Captain Forgione. There was a slight decline in auto theft, with 337 reported in 2007compared with 357 the prior year – a five percent drop.

However, the precinct scored a major victory in its battle against grand larcenies when officers from the 104th stationhouse apprehended a “career criminal” late last year. The man has been linked to 15 crimes within the 104th Precinct alone, and is suspected in upwards of 100 others just in this area. He had been grabbing wallets and purses from cars at gas stations as the victim was inside the store or pumping gas. He is wanted for incidents across Queens North and South, said Captain Forgione.

So far this year, there has been an increase in house burglaries, including several reports in Maspeth and Ridgewood. In most cases, the perpetrator enters the home through a rear door or window. “People are still leaving windows open, doors unlocked,” said Captain Forgione. “They’re going in the backyard and checking – if it’s open, they’re goingin.” Several of the incidents were near Fresh Pond Road and Madison Street, with the suspect entering second and third floor apartments via fire escapes.

Problems in Maspeth

The remainder of the meeting was dominated by issues raised by a group of a dozen residents from the neighborhood bounded by Maurice Avenue, 69th Street and the Long Island Expressway. Not only have there been several home burglaries in the past few weeks, the residents were left feeling as though the responding officers didn’t take the incidents seriously.

In one incident, a resident noticed a suspicious person inside his neighbor’s home, which was supposed to be unoccupied at the time. When the officers arrived, neighbors had the house surrounded and were afraid the perp was still inside. In their view, the responding officers did not take the situation seriously enough. “We weren’t feeling any kind of support,” said one resident. “We had to embarrass the officer to go in.”

Another problem is vandalism in overnight hours, including graffiti, smashed windows and damaged cars. According to the residents, the majority of the problems occur late on Monday nights, when O’Neill’s restaurant and bar is filled with customers, including many teenagers, enjoying their weekly hot wing special. “They just completely wreck the neighborhood,” said one resident.

Said another resident: “We know that George O’Neill has to make a living, but the feeling among people living here is that he has the cops in his pocket. Nothing is done about the drinking and the 18 and 19 year olds speeding off.”

Captain Forgione told the residents that he would reach out to Queens North to see if their DWI task force can be assigned to the area. He also promised to send patrol cars through the area, particularly on Monday nights. “I’ve never heard this complaint before,” he said. “I don’t want to hurt anybody’s businesses, but I don’t want anyone hurt either.”

Nobody from O’Neill’s was in attendance to respond to the complaints. On Tuesday, restaurant assistant manager Melissa Meadows said that no underage patrons are served alcohol and expressed doubt that the vandalism is caused by O’Neill’s customers. She said that the restaurant has received several complaints in recent days from neighbors who refused to leave their names.

“We are aware of the situation and had a couple of friends in last night to keep an eye on this,” she said. “The worst part about it is, the complaints we are getting are due to the fact that they [the customers] are of a different color other than Caucasian… The neighborhood people don’t like the fact that we have n’s and s’s in our neighborhood.”

Meadows said part of the problem might stem from the fact that many groups have to wait about 20 minutes to get a table due to the promotion’s popularity. “If they have to wait, we take their name and number and what they do is probably walk around the block a couple of times,” she said. “We have been dealing with this situation; I sat down with [owner] George [O’Neill] this morning and he’s very concerned about it.

“I wouldn’t want a bunch of underage kids sitting on my stoop waiting to eat wings, but it’s a very prejudiced neighborhood,” continued Meadows. “We are part of the community, the place has been here since 1928. We’re not looking for a bad reputation.”

Crime's on the Rise, But Help is on the Way

Major Crime up 7%, but 14 Extra Officers Have Arrived

By Conor Greene

The area covered by the 104th Precinct has suffered the largest increase in crime so far this year within Queens North, but according to Deputy Inspector Keith Green, help is on the way in the form of additional manpower.

Through the first 28 weeks this year, major crime has increased nearly eight percent, the precinct’s commanding officer reported at last week’s COP 104 meeting in Maspeth Town Hall. Of those categories, robberies and grand larcenies are “up substantially,” said Green, while assault and burglaries are down slightly.

There were 157 robberies so far this year, compared with 126 at the same time last year, and 267 grand larcenies, up from 216 last year, said Green. Rapes have held even at eight so far, while felony assaults – the only category to rise last year – decreased from 80 to 74. Burglaries have also decreased a little, down to 213 compared with 223 last year. On the flip side, arrests for major crimes are up 15% this year, including a 119% increase in burglary arrest and a 20% increase in robbery arrests, said Green. Overall, arrests are up 12.5% for all crimes, he said.

The increase in crime marks the largest seen this year of any of eight precincts that comprise Patrol Borough Queens North, according to Green. However, he told residents at last Wednesday’s meeting that he had “a little bit of good news,” as 14 additional officers have been assigned to the 104th Precinct. They arrived at the Ridgewood stationhouse last week, and have at least six months on the job so far working with tactical units in Queens and Brooklyn.

“It is a big boost for us and is going to enable us to do a lot of things,” said Green, who said the extra manpower will help focus on non-emergency issues like quality of life complaints. “It is the result of the problems we’re having with crime,” he added. “You don’t see officers transferred from Brooklyn North often.”

The precinct has tried to focus more attention on quality of life issues, according to Green. Criminal court summonses, which mainly deal with those types of nuisance issues, are up 68% this year, with 3,922 issued so far. “We do that to decrease all types of crime, not just quality of life issue,” said Green.

The precinct has issued 25% more moving summonses so far this year, and twice as many speeding tickets, in part due to help from the highway patrol division. “We didn’t do a lot of traffic enforcement last year, so we stepped it up this year,” Deputy Inspector Green told residents. Traffic accidents are down nine percent this year, but there is still an average of 300 per month. “We still have way too many accidents in this precinct,” he Green.

Despite the precinct’s demonstrated attention to quality of life and traffic enforcement concerns, these issues remain those raised most frequently by residents. Lorraine Sciulli said that speeding drivers along streets surrounding Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village, including Juniper Boulevard North and South, continue to be an issue. Deputy Inspector Green said that the precinct will continue to monitor that area.

Manny Caruana of Maspeth complained about school buses around PS 58, which he said are parked on neighborhood streets overnight and on weekend. “They use it for personal parking all weekend,” he told the deputy inspector. “They’re taking parking away from residents.” He said that he is worried that the problem will get worse if a new school is built at 57th Avenue and 74th Street, which he said is “almost certain.” Green said that the precinct has spoken with the local PTA and has done enforcement in the area, but promised to send additional forces to patrol near PS 58. “There are forty-something schools [within the precinct] and we try to hit them all,” he said.

“When we’re out there [issuing tickets], they get the message.” As with many neighborhoods in Queens, the proliferation of graffiti vandalism is also a concern for the precinct, said Green. The precinct was number-one citywide last year in term of graffiti arrests, and boasts a “great graffiti removal program,” he said. “It is a priority for us – it’s not that we ignore it, it’s pervasive. I see it everywhere.”

Green urged residents to call 911 when they see somebody defacing property, since it’s a crime in progress. He said people arrested for graffiti within the precinct’s confines are all ages and from around the city. “It’s not just fourteen, fifteen, sixteen-year old kids,” he said. “They consider themselves artists, but they’re vandals.”

Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association and chairman of Community Board 5’s Public Safety Committee asked Green about the chances of having an impact zone established, especially in Ridgewood. “There is so much more crime there, it really warrants an impact zone,” he said.

Green said the precinct’s request earlier this year to have an impact zone created was denied because there isn’t enough violent crime in the area to warrant it. However, he hopes that the additional officers assigned to the precinct will help reduce street crime, especially overnight. He said that the majority of robberies occur during the 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. shift, which is when most of the new officers will be on duty.

The next COP 104 meeting will be Wednesday, September 17 at a location to be announced, since the group doesn’t meet in August, announced its president, Barry Nisenson.