Stats Recap Is Issued At 106 Precinct
Pattern Of H. Beach Break-Ins Addressed
by Ralph Mancini
The Wednesday, Jan. 9 106th Precinct Community Council meeting highlighted the overall “success” achieved by local police in curtailing index crimes by seven percent in 2007.
2007 crime report
“It’s very difficult to continually make these achievements that the police department has been making for the past 15 years,” said Capt. Joseph Courtesis, commanding officer of the 106th Precinct, who also detailed the categories of crime that are in need of improvement to a crowd of locals at the precinct’s Ozone Park stationhouse.
Felony assaults were one of the areas that saw an increase, particularly in the beginning of the year, due to numerous fights occurring in night clubs along Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park.The commanding officer was especially disappointed in a spike in burglaries fueled by a recent string of house break-ins in the Rockwood Park section of Howard Beach.
According to witness reports, two males, described as whites or white Hispanics, were seen entering unoccupied homes in a pocket of residences in the area of 82nd Street from 157th to 160th avenues.
Courtesis reported that officers investigating the crimes may have uncovered evidence that “we hope puts a nail in the coffin” of the burglary pattern.
He further addressed an uptick in frauds last year by pointing out that a growing number of individuals are beginning to open all types of accounts using other people’s social security numbers. To avoid this from happening, Courtesis recommended that residents begin keeping track of their credit scores by subscribing to online services, such as TransUnion, Experian and Equifax.
On a positive note, grand larceny auto theft and robberies of unattended pocketbooks were down in 2007.
Cops of the Month
The precinct gave special recognition to P.O. Lawrence Carson and P.O. Gary Maher by presenting them with Cop of the Month plaques, donated by the Times Newsweekly, for their efforts in the arrest of a criminal that was reportedly armed and dangerous during the morning of Tuesday, Dec. 18.
During their foot patrol in South Ozone Park, the two officers noticed a suspicious-looking vehicle that was parked haphazardly, according to Courtesis.
Carson and Maher discovered that the occupant of the automobile was reportedly stripping out the contents of a marijuana cigar.
They proceeded to approach the car and reportedly observed the individual getting “fidgety” and playing with something in his pocket. Upon frisking him, the officers found a fully-loaded .25-cal. gun.
“Obviously, they arrested him. This is his second weapons charge,” said Courtesis. “I’m proud to say that he spent the holidays in prison. He’s still in there now.”
Cell phone woes
Police were reminded by Community Board 10 Board member Margaret Finnerty of several public school students who are being victimized by store owners who charge the children $1 per day to store their phones since the Department of Education isn’t allowing for phones to be carried onto school property.
In a few instances, said Finnerty, these same merchants were found to use these phones for their own purposes and run up expensive phone bills.
Coyle told her that the problem is more of a parental matter, while 106th Precinct Community Council Vice President Donna Gilmartin suggested that the children always make sure to keep their phones locked.
Community policing report
In her monthly community policing report, Sgt. Donna Nugent responded to complaints made to her by South Ozone Park residents about illegally-parked Transportation Security Administration agents.
She informed those in attendance that officers assigned to the area of 150th Avenue and 118th Street never came across any blocked driveways.
Regarding last month’s complaint about a local merchant selling Christmas trees outdoors, Nugent said that five summonses were issued to the individual for taking up too much sidewalk space. Similarly, seven Criminal Court summonses were given to local fruit stands for the same reason.
Nugent also mentioned that night patrols are now taking place in the surrounding area of John Adams High School in Ozone Park.
Concerns over GPS systems
Special Operations Lt. Michael Coyle told local drivers who have GPS navigation systems installed in the vehicles to not only disengage their devices when leaving their cars, but also warned them to detach the suction cups that hold the instruments in place.
Perpetrators are continuing to break into parked cars in order to steal the GPS devices, he said.
The 106th Precinct Community Council regularly meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the precinct’s stationhouse located at 103-51 101st Street in Ozone Park.
