Panhandler Caught on Video Stealing from Charity Box
A panhandler known to frequent neighborhood Shuls and Kingston Avenue was captured on surveillance video stealing out of charity boxes in 770 on Shabbos morning. He was arrested once before for the same crime, which was also captured on video.
Roy Silverman, 53, also known by some as ‘Simcha,’ was arrested in 2013 – as we reported – after it was discovered that he stole from charity boxes in 770 on the second night of Shavuos in 2013. Surveillance video showed him disguising himself with a hat and jacket and carrying a Siddur, all the while fishing bills out of the built-in charity box.
This past Shabbos he was at it again. At 6:00am Shabbos morning he was seen on surveillance video fishing dollar bills out of the same charity box using a hanger. This time he shut off the lights – thinking he would be invisible to the surveillance cameras.
Sources in 770 said that they did not file a police report since it did little good last time. After being forced to spend more than a week in court, the representative from 770 discovered that he had received a punishment of just 30 days in jail and immediately returned to 770 once he was released.
According to the neighborhood volunteer patrol Shomrim, Silverman is a known nuisance, accosting people on Kingston Avenue and inside food establishments.
“In recent months we received quite a few calls from panicked residents saying that he was sitting on their front stoop and refusing to leave” a Shomrim representative said, adding “in one case he urinated in a local doctor’s waiting room after being asked to leave.”
SMH
the guy needs the money thats why we give tzedakah
how can he be stealing from himself?
What a shame.
We should do something that these Jews don’t have to come to stealing. It’s really sad. He is a really good man. Just needs money to survive and live.
Eureka!!!
Could it be that this type of thinking could apply to other groups,groups that we condemn for such behavior.
m
He is a heroin addict, needs to be in a drug rehab not on the streets.
Appelbaum
how do you know that. you are writing terrible loshon horah
Anonymous
never tell the books by its cover
sara
ok so now what happens to him??? peep stop giving him money when he see you on the street!!!! is he even jewish??? he got smart he put on a black suit so he can look like a lubav.
ganav
the real demonstration of the famous Gemora:
“ganva apum machatarta rachamana karya….”
he davens while he’s stealing …asking hashem to be successful and not get caught….(apparently he had the wrong Nusach – LOL – and didnt look up (to shamayim) to see the Cameras in plain view….
Concerned
If he can get un and do this then so can anyone else!
What does it take for there to be full time security at 770?!?!?!
The stabbing wasnt enough?!
This guy is creepy!!!
And on serious drugs- ur $ to him is just helping him get more drugs- he akways comes to our house!
I hope something can be done to keep him AWAY
Crown Heights Resident
The the representative from 770 (& whoever he harasses) need to take out an order of protection against him.
This order of protection will get him arrested if he simply comes within a certain distance of 770 (or within a certain distance of the people he harassed)
https://www.nycourts.gov/faq/orderofprotection.shtml
He is Jewish
He is 100% Jewish and was a student in Ocean Parkway many years ago. He is simply a nebach that lost it, he is not a heroin addict, that being said non of that justifies him stealing from pushkas and bothering CH residents
Hashem should help
get rid of addiction
To everyone out there:
Stay AWAY from drugs-it destroys lives!
fyi from a former classmate
He.learnt in UlY OP and Chanoch Lennart back in the late 70s
Yes.hes Jewish, had a meltdown, got divorced and needs help
He was a normal decent person who unfortunately fell on hard times
@#4
i’ve seen him buy and use he is a thief
RACHMONOS!!
All I can think of when I see this is: “what a rachmonos on this person!!!” Only someone who has fallen upon hard times with no support, or someone who is poshut not well, can turn to doing stuff like this.
I wish I could help him:(
Sruly C
The guy is a addicted druggy, I don’t think he’s even in state of mind to know what’s happening.
Maybe rehab. Maybe that can’t help either.
HERBST SHTIEBEL 502 AVE M
he hangs out there & someone should inform rabbi herbst (hurp’s)
Anonymous
yep i definitely know him. I’ve seen him many times last time i saw him he was sleeping on a table in the place where weddings and l’chaim or bar bat mitzvah is on albany and crown street.