Live From The 94th Precinct Community Council Meeting

(Or: Special full-sized flag edition!*)

Part I: Roll Call, Meeting Minutes, Etc.

Part II: C.O. Ryan Gives The Rundown & the Question and Answer Session Commences

• C.O Ryan gives the low-down.
• Interesting/noteworthy: felony assaults for the last month were ten, which is (to use Mr. Ryan’s own words) “up from four”.
  
• C.O. Ryan outlines a city-wide grand larceny scam.** 
• Graffiti is a serious problem.

Part III: More Q & A

• I ask C.O. Ryan a couple of questions. He confirmed that an armed robbery came to pass at Continental Auto Parts on Ash Street within the last month.
• Soundbite of the evening “What kind of a jerk puts a sign behind a pole?”
• A Maspeth Avenue resident asks questions about a recent mugging on her block, how concerned citizens can start a neighborhood watch group and exactly what is the “protocol” when when a crime happens between two jurisdictions. In her case: the 90th and 94th Precinct.

Part IV: The Conclusion 

• The matter of vandalism/graffiti at 268 Norman Avenue is brought to the table. The medium was glass “etching” fluid. The cost to this business (Broadway Stages) was $8,000.

And so it goes for what is (in yours truly’s recollection) the shortest— and least punctual— 94th Precinct Community Council meeting in years.

*Props go out to Elizabeth Hulson for this!

**As outlined per the NYPD per an anonymous tipster:

The New York City Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance with locating and apprehending the following 3 suspects wanted in connection with 12 grand larcenies that occurred within Queens.  Details are as follows.

In each incident, the victim is approached by one of the suspects who distracts the victim usually by informing them that their vehicle has a flat tire.  When the victim goes to inspect the damage, the other suspect(s) removes property from the interior of the vehicle.

Incident# 1 (109 Precinct) On Thursday, August 9, 2012 at approximately 1500 hours, the victim exited a Bank of America, located at Parsons and Northern Blvd, as he drove away, he was stopped by one of the suspects who informs him of a flat tire. As he inspected the damaged tire, in front of 35-10 College Point Blvd., a second suspect removed property from his vehicle.

Incident# 2 (111 Precinct)  On Saturday, December 15, 2012 at approximately 1500 hours, the victim exited a TD Bank and headed to his vehicle when he was he was approached by one of the suspects who informed him of a flat tire.  As he inspected the damaged tire, a second suspect removed property from the sun visor of his vehicle.

Incident# 3 (106 Precinct) On Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at approximately 1435 hours the victim noticed she had a flat tire and pulled her vehicle over at Crossbay Blvd and 163 Ave to inspect the damage.  One of the suspects approached the victim and offered to assist. As she returned to her vehicle, she realized her  property had been removed.

Incident# 4 (109 Precinct) On Saturday, January 19, 2013 at approximately 1240 hours, the victim was exiting the Chase parking lot, located at 33-45 154 Street, when she was approached by one of the suspects who informed her of a flat tire.  When she pulled her vehicle over a short distance later to inspect the damage, the suspect removed property from her vehicle and jumped into an awaiting car.

Incident# 5 (109 Precinct) On Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at approximately 1033 hours, the victim noticed he had a flat tire and pulled the vehicle over in front of 150-02 Northern Blvd to change the tire.  The victim was approached by two male suspects who offered to assist.  As one of the suspects assisted, the other removed property from his vehicle.

Incident# 6 (104 Precinct) On Friday, February 1, 2013 at approximately 1340 hours, the victim was approached by one of the suspects who informed  her that she had a flat tire and offered to help.  As they worked on the tire, an second suspect removed property from the passenger side of her vehicle.

Incident# 7 (109 Precinct) On Saturday, February 2, 2013 at approximately 1508 hours, as the victim approached his vehicle, parked inside a supermarket parking lot located at 144-50 Northern Blvd, he noticed his car tire had been slashed.  After changing the tire, he noticed property missing from inside his vehicle.

Incident# 8 (106 Precinct) On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at approximately 1230 hours, the victim was informed, by one of the suspects, that she had a flat tire and offered to help.  Upon changing the tire, the victim realized property missing from her vehicle.

Incident# 9 (105 Precinct)  On Friday, February 15, 2013 at approximately 1330 hours, as the victim approached her car, parked in the vicinity of 216-03 Jamaica Ave, two of the suspects waved a parking ticket claiming that she was ticketed. Additionally, the victim stated that she believed one of the suspects sprayed shaving cream on the back of her jacket and began to wipe it off.  When she returned home, she discovered that property had been removed from her jacket.

Incident# 10 (102 Precinct) On Friday, February 15, 2013 at approximately 1520 hours, as the victim was driving, he noticed that he had a flat tire and pulled his vehicle over at 94-24 131 St. to inspect the damage.  One of the suspects approached the victim wearing an orange vest and offered to assist.  Upon changing the tire, he noticed property had been removed from his vehicle.

Incident# 11 (108 Precinct) (That’s Long Island City, gentle readers— Ed. Note) On Thursday, February 21, 2013 at approximately 1600 hours, three suspects approached the victim at 38-20 Review Ave to inform the victim that she had a flat tire and offered to help.  The victim declined and drove to a tire repair shop, located at 38-18 Queens Blvd, to have the tire changed,  The suspects followed the victim to that location and offered to help again while another suspect removed property from her vehicle.

Incident# 12 (109 Precinct) On Thursday, February 28, 2013 at approximately 1557 hours, as victim pulled into a parking lot along Northern Blvd, one of the suspects approached the to informed him that he had a flat tire, while another suspect sprayed an unknown substance onto his jacket.  The first suspect convinced the victim to remove his jacket and placed it in the car.  While the victim was distracted, the second suspect removed his jacket and fled the location.

Video attached from incident# 12.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

**** UPDATE DUFFY 4/01/13 ****

 The following incidents have been added to the above listed citywide grand larceny pattern: 

Incident #13 (61 Precinct) On Friday, 22, 2013 at approximately 1500 hours, when the victim pulled her car over near East 2 Street and Avenue T to check on a noise coming from a tire, one of the suspects approached, wearing an orange construction vest and holding a white bucket. The suspect stated he had a can of Fix-A-Flat and offered to assist her. While the suspect helped the victim, the second suspect went into the victim’s vehicle and removed cash. 

Incident #14 (19 Precinct) On Monday, March 11, 2013 at approximately 1010 hours, the victim was sitting in her vehicle near 1^st  Avenue and East 82 Street when she was approached by a suspect who said that one of her rear tires was flat. The suspect offered her a can of Fix-a-Flat and told her to hold it against the tire. After the suspect walked away, the victim realized her handbag missing from inside the vehicle. 

Incident #15 (102 Precinct) On Saturday, March 23, 2013 at approximately 1240 hours, the victim was parking her car near 101 Avenue and 121 Street when she was approached by a male wearing a construction vest who told her the air in her rear tires was low, and offered to help. While the suspect distracted the victim, a second suspect opened the victim’s vehicle and removed her purse. 

Incident #16 (94 Precinct) On Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at approximately 1235 hours, the victim parked his car near Withers Street and Union Avenue and was approached by a suspect who told him the back of his jacket was dirty. The victim took the jacket off and placed it in his vehicle, before driving a short distance away. After parking, the second suspect approached the victim and told him the air was low in a rear tire. The suspect offered the help change the tire or to use a can of Fix-a-Flat. As the victim bent down to inspect the tire, the first suspect entered the victim’s car and removed cash from the victim’s jacket.