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From The New York Shitty Inbox: More Criminal Activity?
Man oh Manneschevitz, this is proving to be quite a week here in the Garden Spot! As if a suspicious drug-related death, what appears to be an INCREDIBLY SCARY car chase ending with a collision on Provost Street and belligerent drunks menacing a family at our new park are not enough, I now have two more tales from readers regarding recent hijinks in the neighborhood. I feel like my inbox has become the community crime blotter! Here it goes:
Lara writes (in an email entitled “High Speed Chase”):
My 2 year old daughter and I witnessed another high speed car chase on Franklin Street, it was approximately 2 weeks ago about 5 pm in the evening. I wish I remembered the date but alas I don’t, I believe it was the week before last on a Thursday.
We were coming out of our building on the corner of Franklin and Kent when an unmarked police car sped down Franklin street and turned right on Kent Street….HOWEVER, Con Ed just happened to be working on Kent Street and had erected orange cones blocking off Kent Street at Franklin….nevertheless, the unmarked police car ran over said cones and sped up Kent Street, they were followed by a regular cop car who swerved at the last minute to avoid the cones. The marked police car almost hit oncoming traffic on Franklin Street and a woman walking her dog in front of River Barrel ran to get out of the way!
The unmarked car being unable to pass the big Con Ed trucks decided to reverse at lightening speed back down Kent Street, run over the cones again and then peel out onto Franklin Street. The driver and passenger in the unmarked car were frantically talking on the radio and seemed very upset. The police officer in the passenger seat was yelling “GO GO GO!”.
No police car came back to see if anyone was hurt. Passersby put the cones back.
Outrageous!
Granted, she makes no mention of a car being “followed” but this incident is disturbing nonetheless. There are a lot of people out and about at 5:00 p.m. on a weekday— commuters mostly. Yikes!
Next up, we have a little armed robbery by McGolrick Park courtesy of Lucy. She writes:
I just moved into the neighborhood, and am so glad to have found your blog! Anyway, as a tip/inquiry, I was wondering if you knew about an armed robbery that happened last night, on Driggs Avenue? My roommate and I were in the middle of dealing with a leaky fridge when a dectective buzzed our doorbell to let us know that the deli downstairs had been robbed at gunpoint! I don’t know the exact name of the deli (like I said, I only just moved in), but it’s on Driggs, right by the corner of Driggs and Monitor. My roommate was the one who talked to the detective so I didn’t get the full scoop (and I was a bit distracted by the fridge), but apparently the people are ok, but possibly slightly beaten up? Sorry not to have more information, but I thought it was worth passing along.
If this is how June is shaping up it begs the question as to what July and August (when it’s hot as hell, thus making people more inclined to start trouble) will be like. Sheesh.
Miss Heather
Comments
4 Comments on From The New York Shitty Inbox: More Criminal Activity?
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Tony From Kent Street on
Thu, 18th Jun 2009 3:33 pm
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r303blue on
Fri, 19th Jun 2009 9:48 am
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Peaches on
Fri, 19th Jun 2009 10:40 am
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SpillConspirator on
Fri, 19th Jun 2009 3:26 pm
Angel Deli at 77 Driggs was robbed at gunpoint last night and it sounds like the owner’s wife got assaulted somehow. I just spoke to the owner, he sounded pretty shaken up still. His kid is in the store a lot, too. They’re all very friendly, it’s a shame and a first for them. I also spoke to the guy who has the bodega on kingsland & driggs and he says he’s been here for 14 years and has never seen a robbery like this in the vicinity. By the way, I should probably change my user name since I live on Grandparents Avenue these days.
Yeah, I gather Lucy is my neighbor (Welcome, ha). From what I understand the owner was in the basement getting supplies while his wife was upstairs. Kids weren’t around (rather unusual, as they’re often running around). Two armed men in masks and surgical gloves came in, I gather they hit her which is very disturbing. She’s very sweet, and I see her often walking with her kids. I hope she’s ok, but haven’t had a chance to find out. Apparently she was brought to the hospital.
The detective asked us if we saw anything, unfortunately we didn’t hear or see anything. If anyone saw the car or anything, let the GP police know. Seems like there’ll be little luck in that.
I’ve been in the apt for 3 years (6 in the vicinity), with no problems except for the occasional rowdiness, passed-out drunk, and a smashed car window. Not as safe as being closer to the church or Manhattan Ave, but generally ok. Don’t like this turn of events, but my thought is they weren’t from the neighborhood and they were just randomly attacking.
This article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/19/nyregion/19murder.html) from the NYTimes is a kind of daunting way to begin the summer. Look at the interactive map! Its really important to keep reporting these things, because as we all know, the city/state is inclined to not report all incidents in the attempt to make our neighborhoods look safer. Mrs. Heather, I think in lieu of recent events I may start a Google map of all the crime in Brooklyn (similar to the NYTimes one but with robberies, fights, high speed car chases, etc.), if the police/our district councils aren’t going to keep us informed, it is up to us!
One of the most concerning things to me is the amount of domestic violence that happens without anyone reporting it–I can’t even begin to tell you the amount of times I witnessed men and women being physically violent towards eachother on my block (first Nassau and Hausman and now Troutman and Knickerbocker–yes, I left Greenpoint for the significantly less green pastures of Bushwick). All I ask of anyone reading this is that if you hear something, don’t wait for someone else to call the cops, just do it! Its better for several people to call than no one to call at all. You may save a life.
I wonder how many of these crimes & incidences are ending up on the record.
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