Murder Rate In NYC Slightly Up From Last Year

Murder in New York City is not as prevalent as it once was, especially when compared to the height of high crime 15 years ago, but recently, it seems that certain neighborhoods have reported more killings.

In 1990, there were more than 2,200 murders in New York. In 2006, the city is on pace for 540 murders, NewsChannel 4 reported. This year is the fifth straight year below 600, a rate so low that one would have to go back to the 1960s to match it. But some wonder if crime has gone as low as it can go in a city so large.

A man was charged with fatally stabbing a woman and beating two men to death on Monday in the Bronx. The crime brought the total for the 41st Precinct to 13 murders in 2006, up from six murders in 2005.

Brooklyn Residents Rally In Support Of Man Allegedly Assaulted By Police

Click Here for a newscast of this event (NY1)

Brooklyn residents rallied Thursday night to support a man they say was assaulted by police.

The James E. Davis Stop the Violence Foundation led the march to the 71st precinct. The foundation claims police went into the wrong Crown Heights house last week looking for drugs and guns.

They say police broke down the door and beat 23-year-old Patrick Lawrence.

Stolen Tefillin Recovered by Shomrim

Over the month of Tishrai Shomrim have received over 30 disturbing complaints of stolen Tefillin. Wednesday night a Shomrim member was approached by a not Frum Israeli guy and offered him a pair of Rabeinu Tam’s Tefillin for $380.

The Shomrim member told him he was interested and was led to where the guy stays and shown the Tefillin which still had the owners name on the velvet bag. Police were called and responded immediately and very soon after a Sergeant came to the scene to handle the situation. Police remained on scene for nearly an hour while Shomrim members located the owner of the Tefillin who was then brought on scene and filed an official complaint.

Mugging At Gunpoint on Midwood and Kingston

On Wednesday evening a group of three Israeli Bochurim who were staying with a Jewish family for the month of Tishrai on Midwood St (this is one of two Lubavitch families that lives down there) were held up at gunpoint and were mugged.

The group of Bochurim were making their way up Kingston when they were approached by two black males one of which produced a gun pointed it at the Bochurim and demanded their money. Between the three there was a total of $5 and they quickly turned it over, after which one of the two muggers said to the Bochurim that ‘its dangerous down here, you might get shot. Go home.’ 911 was immediately called and a number of cars responded instantly and quickly began canvassing the area for these perps with the victims, to no avail. They were then taken down to the precinct to fill out a police report.

Bias Incident on Carroll St., Police Apprehend the Suspect

At around 11:00pm a Jewish man residing on Carroll St between Schenectady and Utica was leaving his home to make his way towards Simchas Bais Hashuaiva had a glass bottle thrown at him followed by a racial expletive from a Black male. The victim who spotted an officer on a post at the corner of Schenectady and Carroll immediately made his way there and told the officer about the occurrence.

The officer beginning to investigate the incident was directed by the victim to an individual who he identified as his attacker. The officer made the arrest immediately and the victim is pressing charges, NYPD is charging the individual, who is in his 20s, with the commission of a hate crime. The entire incident from the occurrence to the arrest lasted less then 5 minutes.

Crown Heights Gets a Modern-Day Watch Tower

In the aftermath of a series of violent assaults on members of the Jewish community in Crown Heights, the police department has deployed a piece of modern technology that is based on an age-old defense tactic: the watch tower.

The “sky tower,” as police call it, stands about 25 feet high on the corner of Carroll Street and Troy Avenue. A police officer sits behind tinted windows on a swivel chair inside the compartment, where he can monitor video feed from four cameras, and even the wind speed from a meter on the roof. This is the first time the police have used the tower for crime prevention. It was acquired earlier this summer and has been used at the West Indian Day parade and for security during President Bush’s visit to ground zero.

Crown Heights outrage

Gang attack on Hasid teen bias, protesters say

A 16-year-old Hasidic boy walking home from a Brooklyn synagogue on Yom Kippur was jumped by a group of teens who called him a “f—–g Jew,” witnesses and his family charged.

Mendel Chesney was heading home about 10 p.m. Sunday when he was attacked by as many eight young men on Carroll St. in Crown Heights, witnesses and police said.

“At first, I thought they might be playing around, so we walked over to where the crowd was. That’s when I see the talaisim [prayer shawls] and know it’s a Jewish person and hear someone say, ‘You f—–g Jew,’” said Michael Gitchel, who lives nearby.

NYPD Increases Its Presence on the Streets

Two mobile command posts have been set up one on Schenectady between Carroll and Crown and the other on the corner of Crown and Albany, officers posted on many street corners and officers walking up and down Kingston Ave. by day as well as the night.

We implore the 71st precinct to keep these officers out there till at least 5am each morning, as many of the posts are abandoned around 3am. These are good crime prevention measures, lets keep them up!

Still we urge residents to take extra care when out there, stay alert if you hear or see something don’t hesitate to call Shomrim at (718) 774-3333 and 911.

Robbery Gone Awry, Or A Drunk Mans Illusion?

At around 10:45pm on President between Kingston and Brooklyn a Mexican worker who resides at the construction site next to the school on the corner of Brooklyn Ave and protects the site, entered the house, which is easily accessible, and by his account was jumped by one or two Black males, and was assaulted and robbed.

The Mexican worker, not knowing a word of English, made his way stumbling down Kingston Ave to Kol-Tuv where he knew a worker who he told what had happened and he in turn called police. Response time was instant, 7 police cars showed up and began searching the house which turned up nothing. When taking the statement from the victim police officers noticed the man smelled of alcohol and began questioning if this whole incident even took place. Just to be sure they took him around for a canvass of the area for the two alleged Black males, which yielded no results either.

Brutal Assault on the Night of Yom Kippur

After Davening, at around 9:30 pm a sixteen year old Bochur was assaulted on Carroll St between Troy and Schenectady. The incident began when a group of about five to seven Black males surrounded the Bochur and hit the him in the head, followed by a wave of blows from the group, leaving the Bochur in need of medical attention.

Upon hearing calls for help, bystanders came forward, scaring off the group, who fled on Carroll towards Troy with a group of Yidden hot on their trail. Police stationed on President and Troy saw what was going on and joined in on the pursuit, catching result of which ended in the apprehension of three out of the group.

Back on Carroll street, Hatzalah responded and began treating the Bochur for the extensive injuries to his head, including a broken nose, cuts to the back of his head and face, and his eyes swollen shut. When being questioned as to what had taken place the Bochur was incoherent and mixed up, which worried Hatzalah. At first he said that they demanded money, while the assault didn’t look like that of an attempted mugging.

Woman tries to pass Counterfeit $50 Bills, Apprehended

On Tuesday, a woman entered a number of stores on Troy Ave and attempted to purchase items using a counterfeit $50 bill. The woman, described as a Black Female, hit three stores on the Avenue, one of which refused the bill. Two other stores accepted purchases ranging from Twenty dollars, to twenty five dollars. The Police were then called after one of the stores, Crown Fabrics, noticed the fake bill. However, the woman had already left the store, and was long gone.

When the police arrived, the sergeant informed the store owner that not much can be done other then to contact the Secret Service which is the government department that handles counterfeit money cases. The sergeant then told the store owner that he will take care of the calls and reports. Later on it occurred to the store owner to check with neighboring stores if the woman attempted to pass the bad money at their stores as well, and turns out the woman made a stop at a hair salon where she made a twenty to twenty five dollar purchase. One other store, My Sweet Art, refused the bill.

Hate Crime in CH: Bochur Brutally Assaulted Friday Night

At around 12:30am Friday night two Bochurim walking on Eastern Pkwy. and Rochester Ave. were assaulted. The incident began as the two were walking when they heard someone behind them yell “You ******* Jew”, when they turned around one of the Bochurim was struck in the face with a baseball bat, after which a group of about 7 to 8 Black Males closed in prepared to possibly lynch the Bochur when they both managed to fend off their assailants.

When the two got away and called for help other Yidden in the area called Hatzalah who responded immediately and began treating the victim, who one of the members described his injuries to his face as extremely severe. The victim was then transported to Kings County Hospital where police were called and officers from the 71st precinct responded to take the report were more then happy to hear it that the incident took place at the park entrance thereby making it a case for the 77th precinct, and so its one bias crime less for the 71st.

The victim stated that there was a group of about 7 or 8 Black males 3 or 4 of which were on bikes and one of them was dressed in a gray suit and pants.

Career Shoplifter Strikes Again, And Gets Caught

Approximately 2 hours before Shabbos Shomrim received a call for a shoplifter in the Kingston Bargain Center. The incident began at 6:10pm when one of the workers at the store noticed the perp walking down one of the isles and putting things in his bag, and then tried to exit the store, he blocked the entrance and the owner called police and Shomrim.

Shomrim members arrived a mere minute after receiving the call, and one of the members identified him at the perp in a Previous Shoplifting this past January. Police arrived 2 minutes after Shomrim and questioned the employee then the owner, and after reviewing surveillance footage where he was clearly seen lifting various items police arrested him.

We would like to warn all residents of the community that during the summer many of us go upstate and crime goes up, please be careful and sensible, if you see something make sure to call 911 and Shomrim at (718) 774-3333 24/7.

More pictures in the Extended Article!