October 30, 2008: Vol. 31, No. 43

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October 30, 2008 / Brooklyn news / Bay Ridge

Ridge crime wave breaks

By Ben Muessig

The Brooklyn Paper

The surge is working!

After a crime wave swept through the typically serene streets of Bay Ridge, an increased police presence has cut burglaries by more than 100 percent, to five last week from 12 the week before.

Deputy Inspector Eric Rodriguez, commanding officer of Bay Ridge’s 68th Precinct championed the surge.

“It’s working very well,” Rodriguez said. “We made an arrest last night for someone breaking into a restaurant on Third Avenue. We’ve also made a couple of arrests on some of the other burglaries that have happened.”

This week’s downtick has convinced state Sen. Marty Golden (R–Bay Ridge) that the tide has turned on the spate of rear-window break-ins between 65th and 86th streets and Fourth and Seventh avenues.

“Talk to the people walking on the streets,” said Golden, a former cop. “They notice the police presence and they feel safer. They feel like their old community is back.”

Many residents remain unconvinced.

“Crime went down for one week — so what?” said 73rd Street resident Janice Shiavo “There have been break-ins all over and kids are still congregating on the corners. I don’t feel any safer.”

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Reader Feedback

chris from bayrdige says:

I do not believe that there is any break in this crime wave. I have not seen any cops around during the evening. To top all that off while eating in a busy restuarant last night there was a breakin in the apartment above the restaurant. This occurred between 7pm & 7:30pm..
When will there be something really done when it happens to sen goldens office or when someone really gets hurt while being burglarized..

Oct. 30, 2008, 4:40 pm

dkny from ny says:

Sure there is a police presence. Just yesterday, there were 4 police cars in front of the Deli on the corner of 74th street and 5th avenue. 2 minutes later there was a helicopter flying overhead. There was a perp search. Their arrival after an incident is not "a police presence". There should be cops patroling between 69th street and 75th street 24/7 so there is a deterance in crime incidents.

I do not blame 68th precinct however. Those cops work hard. I blame that there are a maximum of 4 police cars patrolling because of funding. 4 police cars patroling Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst is criminal.

Oct. 30, 2008, 11:57 pm

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