July 28, 2007 / News / Police Blotter / Brooklyn Heights–Downtown

Cops target DUMBO crime

By Harry Cheadle

for The Brooklyn Paper

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The Brooklyn Paper / Chris Cascarano

These three officers from the 90th Precinct in Williamsburg were sent to DUMBO, in the 84th Precinct, to fight a mini–crime wave.

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Peaceful DUMBO was crawling with cops this week in an effort to stop a mini–crime wave that has swept the usually quiet area between the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges.

As reported here two weeks ago (“Burglary string hits Main Street in DUMBO,” July 14), there have been a number of office-building robberies in the area — and the perps are still at large.

As a result, cops from the 84th Precinct — as well as extras brought in from Williamsburg’s 90th Precinct — have been making extra patrols, both on foot and in radio cars, since the mini-crime spree began.

It is unclear how many break-ins have occurred in the former warehouses — now office buildings — in the rapidly developing neighborhood.

There were at least two break-ins on June 30 at 45 Main St. — both featuring a burglar who busted a hole through Sheetrock to rob a photographer and a law firm. Two weeks later, there was a similar robbery attempt at nearby 55 Washington St., where an employee of a seventh-floor design studio said he heard heard a noise in the hallway and discovered a man crouched near the wall using a hammer to smash into the office.

When the employee asked what he was doing, he muttered something about “the wrong office” and left in a hurry.

A thief also hit a Jay Street building in early July, making off with a business’s computers and cameras, according to Curbed.com.

The same blog reported that last week the police arrested a man who was allegedly involved in robbing 12 cars and 14 offices in the last few months, but he was released due to lack of evidence.

Captain Alan Abel, commander of the 84th Precinct, which includes DUMBO, Downtown, Brooklyn Heights, and part of Boerum Hill, said he would not comment on an “Internet rumor.”

But Abel did say that he’s increased the number of officers on patrol in DUMBO — and locals have noticed.

“I’ve seen more cops, definitely,” said Abraham Burgess, who works at Retreat, a local coffee shop.

A spokesman for Two Trees Management, the neighborhood’s principal landowner, said there are plans “to install increased security measures on all Two Trees buildings in DUMBO,” although the spokesman, Brad Eide, would not say what those measures would be.

Crime has been increasing not only in DUMBO, but throughout the 84th precinct. Burglary is up 23 percent compared to last year, and assault has risen 31 percent, although both numbers remain lower than they were six years ago.

©2007 The Brooklyn Paper