This morning, there was an arrest in the Attempted Robbery of the MV Farms Deli located at 55-07 69 Street.  Bad guy comes in displays knife to clerk looking for $$.  Clerk refuses, bad guy panics and runs.  Late shift arrives and finds bad guy (18-year old Asian) a short distance away - knife also found after search - good work by PO Bublin and operation supervised by Sergeant Singh.  We are defending Cometland!

Hi Everyone,
 
Our local thieves are becoming very creative.  Here's what a west Maspeth Block Captain reports:

• There was copper wiring/tubing on the wooden pole outside of 57-19 59th Street.  Thieves cut the copper up as high as they could reach.  It's believed the copper may have been installed by Time Warner - but she's not sure.  Copper is worth $$.
• You're all familiar with sewers - there's the grating with the holes and there's the metal plate that's attached to the curb/sidewalk.  Apparently someone was caught removing the plate, most likely to sell.  The witness called 911.  The Block Captain said the plate was loose and doesn't know if it was like that or if the thief loosened it up and then came back to steal it.
• If you see anyone doing something suspicious call 911.  If the item was stolen, like the sewer plate, call 311 to have it replaced.  Please be alert and PLEASE don't leave items in your vehicle - cars are still being broken into!!  Please pass this along to others in the area. 

Here's responses from Captain Cody and a west Maspeth Comet member to my email below: 


Response from a west Maspeth member:   We have a lot of Junkies (scrap metal guys) in the area the past few months.  They look through the garbage people put out. Tell all to watch what you keep in their yards... The problem is steel, aluminum and copper, are going up $$$$$.
  
Response from Captain Cody:   Also a quick FYI in regards-we rapidly responded to a Sewer Cap job yesterday-my new Lieutenant directed a canvass of scrap yards etc with Day Shift- also my Late Shift Anti-Crime team arrested a "scrapper" Monday morning at the new Walgreens on Metropolitan Avenue/West Maspeth-he had a criminal past and I have of course advised all of what you pass on to me. 

Comment from a resident: The same thief also took the Time Warner ground wires from 3 poles on 58th Ave from 83rd St. to 84th St., but was smart enough not to cut the thicker copper wires grounding the Con Ed pole transformers.

Don't forget our Comet meeting on Monday with Taxi & Limousine Commission and NYC DOT.

See the update below from Captain Cody about what the 104th has been doing in our area.  Everyone please keep a lookout for the jeep in his FY #3 and be alert!
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FY #I - we had a successful Truck Operation on Grand Avenue the past couple days over 20 summonses and a couple tows-worked in conjunction with Boro and DOT

FYI #2 - we arrested a car break suspect last week and he gave up 3 breaks that he did in west Maspeth

FYI #3-  a carjacking in vicinity of 69-71 and Grand Avenue on Thursday night-perps were in a Black Crown Victoria with Police lights pulled over Asian family and took a Black Jeep Grand Cherokee at gunpoint - fled north on Grand into 110 Precinct - be on Lookout Please!  We would like to recover it for prints etc, also please be careful with anybody being "pulled over"- I feel its an isolated incident around here but ask all to keep eyes peeled and call on anything that's suspicious. It happened around midnight - if someone gets pulled over they should comply- be calm and respectfully request identification from officers in course of stop if doubt exists that they are Police.

Hi Everyone,   We live in Maspeth because it's a great place.  However, two Comet members brought up the issue of the tree pits along Grand Avenue.  In case you haven't noticed, they're a disgrace!  That being said, we think it's time we gave something back to the community in the way of a cleanup - of the tree pits which are full of weeds and debris.  We want our commercial strip to look great for the upcoming holidays.  If you can find some time to help out we'd love to have you.  (If you're old like me you can always hold the trash bag open! lol) Let me know if you can make it.  Pass this on to others who might be interested.  See info below:

• Groups involved:  Maspeth Chamber, Comet, Maspeth Town Hall, Americorp and Council Member Crowley's office.
• Date:  Saturday, 11/12 with a raindate of Saturday, 11/19
• Time:  9:00 am - 2:00 pm.
• Location:  We'll meet at Maspeth Memorial Plaza, 69th/Grand.  We'll provide coffee, hot chocolate, donuts and divide the group into teams.
• Area to be cleaned:  Tree pits on Grand Avenue from 64th to 72nd Streets.
• Other info:  DSNY will provide us with tools and pick up the collected debris.  We'll be providing other materials such as gloves, etc.
• I spoke to Mike Terry, President of the Maspeth Chamber and told him we don't put ads in our Comet newsletter, but any business on Grand Avenue that helps out will be mentioned in our winter newsletter.  They deserve the credit for supporting our neighborhood!

Beware!  See the following message from Captain Cody, 104th Precinct.  Please pass this on, particularly to your Hispanic neighbors/friends.
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There is a street scam you should know about vs elderly, mainly Hispanic females. A male and female approach and discuss lottery ticket winning and offer to split-standard con but sometimes with a twist - if the mark (victim) resists they will say they have a gun threaten to shoot and either tell mark to give up jewelry or walk them into residence and do same.  It happened 2X in Ridgewood and Glendale over past month.

None thus far in Cometland but its a city wide pattern.

Again mark/vic is mainly Hispanic as the entire scam is based on lottery winnings and conducted in Spanish but I just want you to be aware they could target any elderly person.

FYI - Effective October 1st, residents may place their trash and recyclables out for collection at 4:00 pm.  (The 5:00 pm regulation kicks in again on April 1st).  Residential units must remove receptacles from their collection place by 9:00 pm on their collection day.  If collection occurs after 4:00 pm, receptacles must be removed by 9:00 am the next day.  Fine:  $100-$300   

A Mathew Homes tenant's Black Giant Boulder Bicycle Serial # 32SBT72498GU 569  04/10/07 , purchased on 6/16/2007 for $271.00 from Grand Bicycle Center, Maspeth was stolen while parked with a lock on the 79th Street Block on Ankener Avenue.  The bike  owner called 911 and Police Officer Gayle #9008 took the Complaint this morning 10/5/11 @ 9:38am.  The theft may have taken place sometime between 6pm Tuesday 10/4 and 7am Wednesday 10/5.
 
The owner, a Licensed Tax Consultant, is offering a reward of a two-hour tax/financial consultation to anyone who finds the bicycle or provides information leading to the recovery of the bicycle.  Call 917-579-6550 and ask for Dudley - No Questions Asked

For those of you who didn't come to our meeting last night, I'm listing the crime stat highlights.  For those of you who DID attend, be advised that Captain Cody said we had two more car thefts.  See below.    104th (Maspeth)

• 2 Grand Larcenies - the one that could have been prevented was a car window was broken on Hull Avenue and property was removed.
• Car thefts (GLAs) - as of last night's meeting we had one stolen car on Clinton Avenue.  As of today, we had two more - yesterday a 2010 Toyota as stolen from in front of 69 #'s on 53rd Avenue.  The second was a 2004 Acura stolen this past Saturday from 66 #'s on Clinton Avenue. 
• Folks, especially in northern Maspeth and the Plateau, need to keep their eyes pealed - looks like we're being targeted!

110th Precinct (Elmhurst)

• Robberies - one occurred on Woodhaven/Hoffman Drive at 2:00 am.  The second one occurred on 85 #'s on 57th Avenue at 7:15 pm.  A man had his chain stolen.  Please folks, if you have anything valuable don't flaunt it.  Keep expensive jewelry, cell phones, etc. out of sight!
• Burglaries - one occurred on 58th/87 #s through the rear window.  The second occurred on 83/54th through the rear window. 
• Car thefts (GLA) - one car was stolen in the vicinity of Seabury/57th Avenue.  The second was stolen from QB/Albion which is the north side of QB but close to Cometland.
• Folks, especially in the vicinity of 57th Avenue need to be careful and keep their eyes pealed!  We don't usually have this much activity in that area.

108th Precinct (Woodside/Winfield)   Captain Powers could not provide the statistics, but said there were no major crimes in our area.  This DOES NOT mean to let your guard down.  Crooks move around to avoid being caught!