Photo: QueensPost
June 26, 2013 By Christian Murray
Sunnyside, Queens: The crime rate jumped in Sunnyside/Woodside and Long Island City in June, due in part to an increase in the number of burglaries.
Captain Brian Hennessy, the commanding officer for Police Precinct 108, said that the number of reported crimes rose 25% for the 28 days ending June 23, compared to the same 28-day period in 2012.
The number of reported burglaries increased from 13 to 20. Four of those burglaries took place within a two block radius in Sunnyside—namely 41st Street and 43rd Avenue, as well as 42nd Street, between 43rd Avenue and Queens Blvd.
The number of grand larcenies jumped from 29 to 35 over the period, with Hennessy attributing the increase to identity theft — which is typically used to access a person’s bank account.
There was one murder in the past 28 days, which involved the much-publicized incident when a woman was found dead in the trunk of her car near 61st Street and Queens Blvd late last month.
Hennessy, who spoke at the monthly precinct meeting at the Sunnyside Community Services Center last night, said that there was nothing new to report on that case and that the investigation is ongoing.
The police arrested a homeless man under the 40th Street subway line—after he refused to move for musicians who were part of the Make Music New York event last Friday. When the police spoke to him, they discovered he had an outstanding warrant.
Meanwhile, the police said they could do little about an African-American homeless man who panhandles on Queens Blvd. The police said that the man has refused the help of homeless services and doesn’t have any outstanding warrants.
One woman complained about homeless people and troublesome teenagers at the park adjacent to the 52nd Street subway station. “There are bums there, a lot of kids there, many of whom are rolling joints…and garbage dumping that is bringing back the rats.”
Hennessy said he would go the park personally and check it out. He said he would also send the precinct’s special conditions team.
Meanwhile, the police said there is nothing new to report on the Lou Rispoli murder case, nor the police’s internal investigation as to how the precinct handled the investigation
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41 Comments
Just Asking – great comment – and yes, wait until you hear the revised APBs.
Never ever trust Police Crime Stats they are reconfigured to say whatever the NYPD wants them to say.
McGruff
I have seen the so called “Change Guy”coming down the subway steps passing me by on some mornings as I go up to catch the Manhattan bound #7. A commuting panhandler, lovely.
Thanks to Ms.Quinn and the city council, allow me quote for you the wording of all future wanted posters:
“The NYPD is seeking the public’s help in apprehending the entity wanted in connection with (insert incident). The entity is described as possessing three dimensions and was possibly clothed. (We apologize to the clothing optional community). The entity is believed to be somewhere between 0 and 147 years of age. The entity is believed to be a resident of Earth. (We apologize to the E.T. community).
I have noticed more police on the number 7 lately – I think that is because of all the cell phone thefts. Having said that, I wish they would go around the parks more especially in the summer.
I believe it was a retiring officer Captain Esposito who put it best,he said todays NYPD was made up of 10% Super cops,15 % Good cops and 75% Zeros,i guess we all know were the Zeros are stationed then,right here in the 108,Pathetic.
I agree with error message. Homeless distraction. We as the community need solid info. Where and when.
We can, together, fix this issue together.
So I’m confused about the report. It says:
The number of grand larcenies jumped from 29 to 35 over the period, with Hennessy attributing the increase to identity theft.
So what’s that about?
And is there any more information about the burglaries? Time of day, how were they conducted? Did these police offer any useful information to citizens/residents?
The homeless people in the neighborhood seem to be a big distraction to posters here from the real issues of crime.
Good luck getting justice! And the park on 52nd is an eyesore. I know this is not a popular idea, but I wish the city would just pave it over and give up on having it as a “park”. You would have to be crazy to sit on those benches. The rats have returned and the garbage is unbearable. The ‘Change Guy” has been doing his thing in Sunnyside for years, by the way.
I agree fully! The NYPD from the 108th treat it’s citizens like pond scum… I have been a witness to it several times. They are on a power trip but, seem to not have the power to do anything when it boils down to it. They are rude and treat the innocent like criminals. I hope that the new police chief will be able to make some positive changes or at least alter some attitudes a bit.
So, let me get this right, drug induced bums can do anything they want on our sidewalks (indecent exposure, defecating/urinating, begging and openly consume alcohol, loiter, litter, etc). The crime rate is sky high and climbing higher. Drag Racers can race at high speeds through the neighborhood using all lanes with no concern for safety (while getting high on drugs and betting on the races in illegally souped up cars). Gun shots are heard being fired. Torture chambers are operated and people killed on the streets and stuffed in their trunks. Identity theft a big issue….
What can the people of Sunnyside/Woodside do to help take back their neighborhood from the low lives and convince the new sheriff in town that we are serious about our safety and want respect from our police officers?
Well the 108 has its hands full….handing out tickets all day and night on Queens Blvd from 48th Street to Van Dam for heinous crimes like changing lanes without signaling!
How much did that spiffy new Black Escalade they use cost the taxpayers?
How about more foot patrols to deter crime, instead of handing our BS tickets for Bloomberg?
Anyone who lives in Sunnyside/Woodside knows one thing. 108th precinct does not care. You can call 911 but don’t expect 108 to come quickly or be friendly. Like mom always said, if you’re in trouble find a fireman. Real heroes.
Did anyone hear gunshots on the night of Tuesday, June 25th, around midnight? I think I heard over a dozen shots in the alley behind the buildings between 49th and 48th Sts. on the block between 43rd Ave. and Skillman.
It could have been something else, but it sure did sound like a gunfight. I hit the deck when it started. I should have called the cops, but I heard sirens soon after and thought they were on the case.
Change Guy is now Squirts the Bum. It’s official. I’ll see to it that he’s made aware of the CHANNNNNNNNGE.
It’s not just that one park, all parks have bums and when they turn on the water these true bums, certain drunk groups go there and take a shower, my wife stopped taking my son to the park because of those bastards. Nobody does anything when you report nothing is done.
The CHANGE guy has got to go! They can’t get him on something? He is obviously very ill, and I have seen him behave aggressively many times. It’s just a matter of time until he hurts someone. Really.
I’ve seen him on the 7 train heading to Manhattan at night. I guess he’s a commuter…
Police need to patrol the park by 52nd street more often. People are drinking beer and smoking. I hate to say it but the police does not do anything about it because it is white old men that are breaking the law. If it was spanish/black men then it would be a different story.
I mean really, no outstanding warrants? Crapping & urinating in public is not enough to move this guy on? Our neighborhood is at risk here, judging from what we just read.
@Micky Ever since those drunks showed up a couple of years ago, the regular old-timers are no longer hanging out in John Downing Park. It used to be such a nice place to sit and chat with the neighbors – it’s such a shame! A couple of drunkards have completely altered the face of that little corner of the neighborhood. The police don’t seem to have a way of dealing with them in a permanent and effective way – this, despite repeated reports, complaints – they’re loud, play music off their boombox, drink beer all day, swear, stare people down, basically make it so that no one is anywhere near them when they’re there – they have single-handedly hijacked the park.
Blaming the sick and homeless for the face they present to society is like blaming someone suffering from chicken pox for having pustules on their skin. They are human beings suffering from problems they can’t solve alone. Our society needs to come up with much better ways of taking care of people.
John Downing park is full off bums,and they are not kids,more like monsters left behind from a freak show movie.
@Da infamous
You personally are blamed by me for your illiteracy. Turn off your LCD Soundsystem YouTube channel and pick up a book.
@Huh? GOT CHANGE!?! 🙂
He’s neither an alcoholic nor an addict, he is mentally unhealthy.
I am so happy to see so many speak up about Squirts the Chaange Bum. A bum that deserves no sympathy and anybody who does is a person who doesn’t consider others ,
Squirts, has crapped under the 7. I’m the one who took the pictures, and others have witnessed it. He spits in front of food establishments, he has been seen behaving aggressively . Anybody who thinks “Oh he doesn’t hurt anybody” needs to google how many stories there are of people who assumed the same thing and got pushed into traffic by some crazy bum who should have been locked up.
It should be noted that businesses give this guy free food and drinks, he will stand there while good paying people are trying to eat, until he gets his free stuff.
Why does everything get blamed on hipsters? we make your neighborhood, good restaurants, art scenes, all around kick azz vibe. Admit it!!!
It’s interesting that the homeless man has been living under the 40th Street stop FOR MONTHS and it is only when there is a musical event that he is forced to leave… I guess he would make the event look bad. But what about our experience in this public space every other day? Why didn’t the police realize that he had an outstanding warrant months ago!? Also, he would sit in the open, with a bottle of liquor, drinking and staring glassily into space: why was this OK for months?
Thanks Marilyn- we can rule them out then.
@Paul- schools just let out today
Oh no, not teenagers hanging out at a park! Parks are not for teenagers!
@just asking
It might be nice but then the definition of “suspicious” would be expanded to include just about anybody.
@mexican ball player,
The real problem is not the hipsters it’s the low life scumbags who think hipsters make easy targets.
That’s the guy that poops on the pillars? I dunno. I saw the white homeless guy looking awfully suspicious next to a fresh pile a few years back.
The real problem is hipsters. There such easy targets for robbery . Its sad. I push to get the hipsters outta sunnyside
Wouldn’t it be great if the police had the authority to stop and question suspicious people?
Crime spike coincides with school getting out hmmm.
I also agree with the park adjacent to 52 stop. The garbage was overflowing just last night and a lot of strangers hanging about. Time to clean the mess up!
It is worth noting that the area mentioned with all the burglaries in this article is exactly where Lou Rispoli was attacked.
He not only poops but, is high as a kite on crack or heroin and urinates openly and spits on the sidewalks as you are passing by. He is harrasing people daily for change while pee is running down his leg. Give me a break! This would not be tolerated by any of us on a good day. What gives? The man clearly needs help or to be relocated to a rehab unit. Why do we have to be subjected to this in a good neighborhood? There are community centers that are set-up to help the homeless or drug induced self medicated depressed individuals. Why are the 2 or 3 in Sunnyside allowed to take up residence and create a health issue?
People love to complain on this forum about the dog poop and smell of urine on the sidewalks but, what about human feces and urine? First, time ever encountering human feces on a public street/park has been in our dear Sunnyside. Eeeewww!
That’s good ole Squirts The Bum! I personally witnessed him drop his pants at 2PM on a Sunday, in front of a mother and her baby stroller, shoot buttsauce all over one of the pillars under the 7 train. He looked like a human espresso machine. How do you think those walls get stained like that, Rachel? Now, if you were a REAL trooper, you’d clean up the pillars under 7 and feed him 3X a day. After all, he’s part of our community and we wouldn’t be Sunnyside without him. GTFOOH.
He has every right to be in the neighborhood as anyone, my main gripe with the fellow is that he also poops under the El. Someone posted photos of it a few months back answering the mystery of what those black stains are on the slanted parts of the support beams.
I believe it’s time for Captain Brian Hennessy to increase security here in Sunnyside and for him to start taking this matter seriously. Sunnysiders shouldn’t have to hear about any sort of crime in our neighborhood at all. If we want this neighborhood to be considered safe, we might as well start standing up against crime and begin protecting ourselfs before crime levels rise more.
Rachel,
I’m sure you are a nice person and have a good heart.
However, have you ever seen the way this man spits and the big pools of mucus he makes? Someone posted a picture of him crapping under the subway. Have you seen that?
I think your opinion would change if you had him stand outside your apartment/house all day and leaves spit puddles, pee, etc.
He is bad for the Sunnyside business community. I wonder how TD Bank feel about him?
Why are people picking on the “Change” man? All he does is say, “Change.” He’s a part of our community…leave him be. And, given this crazy year we’re having…we could use a little change. Peace Sunnysiders!