CRACKDOWN ON THEFT

Elise Barrow of the National Children's Study, as seen standing in left photo, explains the goals and objectives of her group. In right photo, Lt. Anthony Mancuso of FDNY's Fire Safety Education (standing at right) describes the numerous types of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors that are currently on the market. Car break-ins and purse snatchings were two of the more prevalent local crimes mentioned during the Wednesday, Nov. 19 110th Precinct Community Council meeting at St. John's Queens Hospital in Elmhurst.

Deputy Inspector Richard Napolitano, the precinct's commanding officer, was especially concerned with a recent spate of vehicle break-ins in the area of Queens Boulevard and Albion Avenue near Bally's Total Fitness gym.

Police were able to make one arrest of a suspected thief, according to Napolitano, as he described how his command was able to arrest three individuals who were on the verge of making their way into a parked automobile.

Among the three perpetrators that were apprehended, one was a recidivist criminal who already had a record of 30 arrests.

Upon further investigation, said the deputy inspector, local authorities recovered a shotgun and several stolen GPS systems from the suspect's Brooklyn home.

Napolitano warned holiday shoppers not to lock purchased items in their car trunks if they plan on leaving their vehicles where they're parked and continue spending their Christmas cash in the same area.

A number of individuals, he recounted, have been spotted popping car trunks with crowbars and stealing items within a matter of seconds.

On the subject of purse snatchers, Napolitano informed local residents of Elmhurst and Corona of recent arrests of individuals who were caught stealing pocketbooks from baby strollers in the Queens Center Mall.

In addition, he furthered detailed a pattern of 17 and 18-year-old individuals who have been witnessed threatening and sometimes assaulting younger high school students from Newtown High School in Elmhurst and P.S. 61 in Corona for their Sidekick phone devices.

Martense Avenue

Queens Community Board 4 Board Member Beth Anna Moonray Ferguson asked Napolitano what's being done to curb the drug activity, loitering and gang-related issues along Martense Avenue in Corona.

The commanding officer agreed that the area in question is a very busy one, and apprised her of a recent drug arrest on Martense Avenue in which nine people were locked up.

In addition, he also made her aware of numerous summonses that are continually being handed out to drunkards on that same street.

Napolitano did express his desire to have a camera tower installed there, but conceded that the narrowness of the street is preventing that from happening.

Parking issue puts residents

in harm's way

The deputy inspector learned of a used-car salesman who is reportedly occupying at least 15 public parking spaces with vehicles that are up for sale in the area of Corona Avenue and Junction Boulevard from 42nd to 43rd avenues.

The complainant, who lives nearby, reported that he is often forced to park three or four blocks away from his residence and even risked getting mugged on his walk back home one night.

Napolitano categorized the matter as a quality-of-life concern and promised the community member that he would have trucks out there to tow away the problem vehicles.

Fire safety

Executive Director of Fire Safety Education, Lt. Anthony Mancuso was on hand to preach how to keep warm safely during the fall and winter months by advising people not to plug in their space heaters into extension cords .

Space heaters, he said, should always be placed in the middle of a room and at least three feet away from bedding and curtains. He also recommended to only use the heating devices on tile floors and keep them away from carpeting.

The 25-year veteran doled out cooking precautions as well by telling the audience to use a pot cover when preparing food and avoid allowing flames to shoot up along the sides of the pot or pan, in addition to using an oven mitt.

The locals in attendance were told to keep some baking soda handy in the kitchen area in case of a grease fire.

Using anything else besides baking soda, he admonished, might only make things worse.

He went on to warn against cooking sprays, telling the audience to lubricate the pan before turning up the cooking flames and not in the middle of warming up a meal.

Kitchen lighters, he added, should never fall in the hands of toddlers and small children, who often wander off with the instruments and set fires in bedrooms and other parts of a house.

Mancuso also offered a holiday tip by making people aware of the danger involved in using turkey fryers indoors and further stated that propane tanks attached to barbecues only belong outdoors.

National Children's Study

The Queens Enrollment Coordinator of the National Children's Study, Elise Barrow, spoke of her program's long-term research project to identify causes and potential prevention strategies for a variety of child health conditions, including birth defects, asthma, obesity, diabetes, injuries and learning/developmental disabilities.

She encouraged people to spread the word of the study that's taking place in several areas of Queens.

The 110th Precinct Community Council will reconvene on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at St. John's Hospital in Elmhurst, where the group will be holding its regular meeting, as well as its annual Christmas party.