July 2, 2014 By Christian Murray
The number of residential burglaries in Sunnyside and Woodside has come right down as thieves are now targeting commercial establishments and apartment buildings more toward Jackson Heights, according to Captain Brian Hennessy, commanding officer of the 108 Police Precinct.
The majority of burglaries—or attempted burglaries– in Sunnyside and Woodside have involved retail businesses in the past month. The number of residential burglaries in Sunnyside—which spiked toward the end of last year— has plummeted.
Two stores on Woodside Avenue (btw. 57th and 58th Streets) were broken into on two separate occasions, with one incident occurring on June 22 and the other on June 29, Hennessy said. The perpetrators in both incidents broke through glass to get into the stores and then stole cash. The incidents both happened at night.
There was one attempted break in at Key Food on Skillman Avenue, where a man tried to cut a hole in the roof to gain access without success.
Meanwhile, a food vendor on 46th Street and Greenpoint Avenue was the victim of a “deception burglary” on June 19, Hennessy said. The perpetrator pretended to be a health inspector and started riffling through the victim’s items, before taking off with his cash.
However, in terms of residential burglaries there were few.
There was one incident on June 27 when a burglar got into an apartment via a fire escape on 43rd Avenue between 56th and 57th Streets before stealing items.
There was one “domestic burglary” in Sunnyside—where a man broke into his ex-girlfriend’s apartment and stole some of her belongs.
The only other incident was on 44 Street, between 47th and 48th Avenues—where a perpetrator broke in through the front door during the day on June 12.
Throughout the precinct—which also covers Long Island City and the edges of Jackson Heights and Maspeth, there were 26 burglaries for the past 28 days ending June 29, compared to 29 for the same time period a year earlier.
In other items, Hennessy said that the case involving Roberto Martires, who died as a result of being punched in the face on June 21 on Roosevelt Avenue, is still ongoing, although he said the police had leads. The incident was the first murder in the precinct this year.
Hennessy also debunked a published report that said that were street walkers/prostitutes working on Greenpoint Avenue between 43rd and 46th Streets.
“I have never seen a streetwalker on Greenpoint Avenue,” Hennessy said. Furthermore, he said, the only complaint about streetwalkers on Greenpoint Avenue he has heard of was made at a community precinct meeting earlier this year, which was picked up by a reporter.
He said that while the precinct monitors the Greenpoint Avenue area, “We haven’t had any undercover officers working there,” he said. “It’s not a trouble spot.”
The police tends to focus on Roosevelt Avenue by 69th Street when it comes to streetwalkers. In fact, six johns and one prostitute were arrested there last Thursday, Hennessy said.
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30 Comments
Are they in the yellow pages?
There is no street dealing going on Greenpoint or anywhere else in Sunnyside. Zero. Zilch.
The “street dealers” are now delivery services. They don’t sell on the street, the risk of arrest is too high.
Anyway, the war on (some) drugs is more dangerous and damaging than any drug. Legalize it.
Supewitty you are not clever at all
I remember seeing coke dealers on 47th street, but that was “in the past.”
When they write the history book about Sunnyside, they will probably include a chapter on the 80s and 90s and drug sellers in NYC. But walk along 47th street today and you will not see this anymore. I live here NOW and I know whereof I speak.
48th ave in the past filled with drug dealers and was open air market on northside spoiled brats who do drugs and rob their friends and family for fun having lived on both sides I know of what I speak
Good to hear! Encouraging news. Keeping my nose in the air.
We are also up and down Greenpoint Ave and 48th Avenue quite a bit and I’ve never seen anything that looks like drug dealing or prostitution happening (and I have lived in neighborhoods where this activity took place, so I’m well aware of what it looks like). Pot smoke is everywhere in Sunnyside! You can smell it wafting from windows from the Celtics right up to the Boulevard as you walk north. I don’t see how that’s a problem for anyone. You rarely hear about crazed pot heads causing trouble or committing crimes. Usually they just get the munchies and fall asleep. 😉
Any 420 action going on in LIC/Astoria? I keep striking out.
Sorry to be off topic but I gotta say we are a lively bunch commentating at Sunnyside Post. I’ve been checking out LIC and Astoria Post, hardly any. I look forward to all of your responses everyday even if I don’t agree with them, I still enjoy it. So keep it coming!
Sunnysider- give it a rest already. You are imagining things. Back it up or shut it down- the only thing you’ve convinced me of is your inability to see straight.
At super witty smitty and everyone else, make pot legal! I don’t smoke it but I don’t think it should be illegal . Alcohol is probably just as dangerous . BUT open your eyes to the drug dealers and prostitution that is going on in Sunnyside. !!!
I do not look like an undercover cop, either. The other night, when Colombia won, I hung out on 48th ave & 47th street for 30 minutes at 11 pm and I saw nothing that even hints of street drug dealing going on. Couple people walking around, young and old, various ethnicities. No cars pulling up to street corners and making deals, no police cars patrolling, no scary looking street people, nothing. I know what to look for- I lived in Newburgh back in the 70s and “stop & cop” was very widespread.
Personally, I think there is a HUGE difference is drug use and smoking some weed. Seeing needles in the stairwell is bad; smelling some weed in the hallway is not; it’s probably someone relaxing in their home. The fact that smoking a little pot in your home is illegal is ridiculous, to me, but I realize that not everyone shares my reasonable & sensible p.o.v.
Except you’re trying to establish the presence of something. Not having evidence and deciding that something either doesn’t exist or is being overhyped is different than not having evidence and insisting that something does exist and is a major issue. Both are weak, but I’ll have to defer to the “authority” of the NYPD on this one.
All you got at 43rd & 43rd is lovely tagged up walls and gates. Does not one of those businesses over there care about the impression they give off by leaving the graffiti up for weeks/months? Frankly, I’m amazed.
Well, so is “I, a guy who looks just like an undercover cop, couldn’t buy, therefore there are no drugs.”
@43rd & 43rd the “you can get what you want if you know people” angle is a weak counter. it’s true of any place.
@Deniz
Fresh n Save=is Key Food.
Uh, there’s not a Key Food on Skillman Avenue.
Then they just aren’t selling to you (not a huge surprise if you’re an older white guy). 48th Ave. is still sketchy, and you can certainly get what you want on if you know people. I lived in the big complexes on 48th Ave. & 46th St. just a few years ago, and you could frequently smell pot and there were needles in the stairwells. Pretending it’s not happening is just silly.
I moved here in 1996, so almost 20 years. Prior to that I lived in Woodside off off Roosevelt Ave. I remember some drug activity on 47th street, but that was quite a few years ago, like 1998.
But I walk and bike around 48th avenue and Greenpoint Avenue a lot and think you are imagining things, or assuming that what happened in the past is still happening today. There’s no data to back up your claims, there’s no need to check with the 108th precinct, as the Captain of the precinct just backed up what I am saying. Actually, I went looking for 420 on 48th the other night- could not find it, and I have looked a few times.
Super witty smitty how long are you living in Sunnyside ? This is a fantastic neigherhood but like most neigherhoods in NYC it has it’s problems. 48th avenue has always been a bad drug area but has definately improved in the last 10 years. Check with the 108th precinct about the working ladies at night!!!
Jose- are there really girlz at a bar at 11:30 at night? And they flirt with and hook up with men? Call 911 and tell them to send over the Vice squad and the morality police. Maybe the commissioner should be informed
?
I am going there tonite to check out this den of iniquity. Btw, Jose, where do you go to meet the ladies? Rite Aid? C-Town?
Just send these keystone cops to the Spanish sports bar between 46-47 street on greenpoint ave all the girls are there working inside and outside every night go by there at night around 11:30 and see for yourself. These cops are useless beyond the point of useless.
I’ll meet you at the library. You’ll recognize me. I’m the hip looking one.
I was at the library in Woodside the other day- it’s not too far away and I was very impressed with how many books and DVDs were available. I’m going there again tomorrow.
If a street walker bite you, you become one yourself.
There wouldn’t be so many street walkers if they had a library to go to.
Sunnysider sees things that do not exist. He would rather believe a sensational newspaper report over the official police report. Besides, he walks Greenpoint Avenue frequently at 3-5 AM and “has seen” prostitution and drug selling taking place. No one else who lives around here sees this- where I see two women walking home, he sees hookers. Where I see some guys standing around talking, he sees drug dealing. Maybe he IS the only one who knows what is going on/. Run for mayor- that can be a good campaign slogan. (Too bad no arrest records or anything else to verify your sightings, but I’m sure you will convinces someone, eventually.
Meanwhile, I walk on Greenpoint and 48th avenues all the time and never see any criminal activity.
@Sunnysider, I think this article and what the Captain said were pretty clear. He doesn’t believe that there are streetwalkers on Greenpoint Ave. So clearly there were no arrests made by his precinct there. Clear as day.
They did make streetwalking related arrests, but in a different location (69th and Roosevelt).
Can you substantiate that they made streetwalking related arrests on Greenpoint?
What is the confusion?
no he said he has never seen one, this may be true. You have to be out there to see one
I find this pretty disturbing . Daily news reports prostitutes on greenpoint avenue. Then reports from 108 th precinct that they arrested johns and girls and now the captain says this never happened. Does anyone really know what is going on in Sunnyside!??