FEW CRIMES IN LIBERTY PARK

Members of the Liberty Park Home Owners Association listen during their Mar. 2 meeting at Glendale Reformed Church as P.O. Thomas Bell of the 104th Precinct Community Affairs Unit reviews the latest crime statistics for the command. (photo: Robert Pozarycki) Though crime has risen slightly around the 104th Precinct during the first two months of 2010, things have been relatively quiet in Glendale, it was reported during last Tuesday’s Liberty Park Home Owners Association (LPHOA) meeting at Glendale Reformed Church.

P.O. Thomas Bell of the 104th Precinct Community Affairs Unit told residents at the Mar. 2 session that overall crime increased around the command by two percent year-todate through last Sunday, Feb. 28. Burglaries, felony assaults and robberies all rose by slim percentages, while grand larcenies and auto thefts dropped.

In the Liberty Park (Glendale) area of the precinct, Bell noted, only three major crimes were recorded in the 28-day period that concluded last Sunday: two grand larcenies and one felony assault. Regarding the assault case, police arrested a pair of individuals who became embroiled in a physical dispute after being pulled over by police at Cypress Avenue and Cabot Road for a traffic infraction last month.

As for the decline in crime, Bell gave Mother Nature some credit, not- ing that the recent winter storms appeared to keep criminals off the streets: “The snow actually helps.”

Even though the neighborhood has seen few crimes in recent weeks, Officer Bell urged residents to be vigilant against burglars responsible for a pattern of incidents around the city in which the suspects posed as utility workers to get inside the victims’ homes.

“If you didn’t tell them to come, do not open the door,” Bell cautioned, noting that recently a pair of suspects were successful in getting into the home of an elderly Glendale woman by claiming to be from “the water company.” It was one of three “deception burglaries” to occur in the 104th Precinct this year, he added.

Residents who are approached by uninvited individuals seeking to gain entry into their home were advised by the officer to call 911 immediately. Police officers will respond to the home and look to confirm the identity and occupation of the suspect individuals.

“If they’re not legit, they won’t hang around,” Officer Bell added.

Police are continuing to investigate drug-related activities in the vicinity of 80th Road and 64th Street, he noted. He urged nearby residents to call 911 immediately if they notice any suspicious individuals parked or loitering in the area.

Bell also reminded drivers to keep all valuable possessions such as wallets, laptop computers and global positioning systems (GPS) out of parked, unattended vehicles, noting that the command continues to get reports of thefts perpetrated by opportunistic crooks.

“Some opportunist will walk by a parked car,” see something valuable, and break in through a window to take it, Bell added.

A resident advised Bell to investigating the intersection of 78th Avenue and Cypress Hills Street, as a number of vehicles have been ignoring restrictions against left turns. The officer said the precinct would look into the situation.

Finally, Bell announced that the precinct will be organizing a graffiti cleanup event in Glendale and other communities within their confines during the spring and summer months. The dates and times have yet to be announced; for more information, call the Community Affairs Unit at 1-718-386-2431.

Other news

The chief-of-staff for Assemblyman Mike Miller, David Slavkin, informed residents about the legislator’s recent introduction of a bill aimed at preventing sex offenders from applying for and receiving any job that involves close work with children.

Under the legislation, as reported in last week’s issue of the Times Newsweekly, all employers hiring for positions that require the employee to maintain contact with youngsters must perform a thorough background check on candidates, including searches through the New York State sex offender registry. Slavkin added that the bill would also make it a crime for sex offenders to apply for such jobs.

Dominick Dale, a representative of City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley, reiterated the legislator’s opposition to any plan to close local fire companies as outlined in the mayor’s preliminary budget. He also noted that Crowley, who serves as chair of the Fire and Criminal Justice Committee, recently secured an agreement with the FDNY to allow volunteer ambulance corps access to the 911 system in order to respond to emergencies.

The president of LPHOA, Thomas Murawski, sounded off on the recent turmoil in Albany, specifically the expulsion of Hiram Monserrate from his seat in the State Senate. He railed against Monserrate’s inclusion on the ballot for the Mar. 16 special election to fill the seat, observing that the state would “look silly” should the ousted lawmaker win.

The Liberty Park Home Owners Association meets four times a year. Their next session is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, June 1, at 8 p.m. at Glendale Reformed Church, located at 77-11 64th Pl. in Glendale.