_ Friday morning 12/30/11 at approximately 0340, we received a call for Police Impersonation at the corner of Flushing Avenue and 64 Street. Apparently the defendant who was arrested Francis, Nick, J of 65-15 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY was riding around in his personal vehicle and stopped a victim and claimed to be a Police Officer and removed the victim's jacket and fled in his vehicle which had flashing strobe lights. After a canvass of the area the defendant was arrested by Police Officer Sean McCarren with the assistance of his partner PO Jason Bianchini. The Officers also recovered a bulletproof vest and a holster for a firearm in the vehicle.    Have a Happy & Safe New Year!!!!   PO Thomas Bell 104 Precinct Community Affairs

_Hi Everyone,   The following is a message from Captain Cody, 104th Precinct.  Please pass this along to your friends and neighbors!!  If it happened here - it could happen anywhere!  These con men move around to avoid getting caught! ______________  

Good Morning: Yesterday on Maspeth Avenue at about 4:20 PM an individual posing as a Water Department inspector approached a residence and got confidence of homeowner to gain entry by asking to check water meter

He got homeowner to lead him to basement while there others entered residence and removed property then fled location

Description:
Male white-wearing orange work vest reflective hat and Radio

Please pass the word and if Anything suspicious is observed contact 911

All the best
MC
Captain Michael Cody
Commanding Officer
104th Precinct

_Hi Everyone,   Thought you'd be interested in the results of the overnight commercial parking initiative that was conducted by Captain John Travaglia, Executive Officer of the 104th last night to address community complaints (see below).  I'm not sure whether or not some of the 60 summonses issued included locations that a few of you sent to me.  If you didn't see a summons on a vehicle at a specific location, let me know and I'll follow up to see why one wasn't issued or why a summons couldn't be issued.  The 104th Precinct did a fabulous job for one night's work!!

______ 

Here is  a recap of our operation.  I hope the message is out!

• 55th Road between Maurice & 60th Street - 8 summonses issued at location
• Rust Street between Grand Ave & Flushing Ave -  5 summonses issued
• 57th Avenue between Grand and 110th border - 3 summonses issued
• Westbound s/r of LIE at Mazeau St at exit ramp (sporadic condition)- 2 summonses issued
• Maurice and 51 Ave  - 3 trucks towed
• 74st and 57 ave-  1 Truck towed (5 axle 18wheeler that is always there)
• 49-29 Maspeth Ave  1 Truck towed
• Approximately 60 summonses issued in sectors HJG for commercial parking.

John Travaglia (Capt T)

_Hi Everyone,   Looks like we're not the only ones doing holiday shopping!  We had two burglaries in the west Maspeth area.  If they happened there, they can happen anywhere!

• An attached home, 58 numbers on 58th Drive, off Flushing Avenue and 59th Street was broken into last week.  It is believed the burglary occurred between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm through the front  I don't have specifics as to what was taken.
• A detached house, 59 numbers on Grand Avenue was burglarized yesterday through the rear.  A neighbor states she heard glass break at about 8:30 am.  Laptops and money was stolen.  Everyone in the house leaves for work.

Most residential burglaries occur during the day when people are at work. There's a good chance the perpetrator(s) were watching these families' routines.

• Whenever possible, but try not to follow the same routine.
• When you leave your home, look around to see if someone is loitering around on the corner or sitting in a vehicle.  Try to make a note of the make/model of the vehicle and license plate number and get a description of the individual.
• If you have to get to work and have a neighbor's phone number, give them a call, pass the information to them and ask them to keep a lookout and call 911, if necessary.
• Many burglars travel on foot and steal small items such as jewelry, cash, etc.  Some burglars may be wearing a backpack to put the items in or may be wearing a coat with big pockets.
• Sometimes a burglar will ring the bell of a targeted house to be sure no one is home.  If someone answers the door they ask for a fictitious person, etc.  If that happens to you, discretely look out your window and watch them.  If a neighbor doesn't answer their bell, the perpetrator might walk to the rear of the house.  If that happens, call 911.  You can do it anonymously, but keep in mind you won't get into trouble if you're mistaken.  It's always best to leave a callback number.
• If you hear glass breaking (like what happened with the burglary above), or an unfamilar noise coming from a neighbor's house, DO NOT go out to investigate.  Call 911.
• Captain Cody, 104th Precinct, suggests if you purchase expensive items and are throwing the box out, fold it inside out so a burglar won't know what you bought.
• If something doesn't appear to be right - it probably isn't.  If someone stands out as suspicious but gives you no immediate reason to call 911, you can forward the info to me (date, time, location, description, etc.) and I'll pass it along to our precincts.  They will have officers be on the lookout in the area.
• Remember, it's neighbor looking out for neighbor.  That's what we're about!

_
Locations - vicinity of PS102:

• 52nd Avenue/83rd Street
• 55th Avenue/Haspel Street

Description:

• Possibly a male Indian, 30-40 years old, approx. 6' tall, heavy set, slight mustache, black curly hair.
• Driving a white older model 4-door sedan with Connecticut plates.  There's an orange flag on the driver's side door.  It could be an Indian flag.

Incidents:

• On 11/14, 8:00 a.m., 52nd Ave/83rd St, the male pulled a 12-year old Asian female into his car and touched her breast.  She was able to escape.  Incident was reported on 11/28.
• On 11/25, 4:00 p.m. the same Asian female was walking with her friend on Haspel/55th Ave.  Male got out of his car with a piece of paper asking for directions to Queens Center Mall.  The original victim ran and the male grabbed the breast of her friend.

ALL precincts have been notified.  This man is considered dangerous and under no circumstances should you approach him.  If you see someone or a car matching this description call 911 immediately.  Try to provide a license plate # or other description of the individual or vehicle and what direction it was headed.  If you have any information that may be helpful call the 110th Precinct Community Affairs (PO Richie Garland, PO Janine Rivera) at 718-476-9310 or the 110th Squad.  This man can be anywhere so keep a lookout, particularly near schools!  Please pass this on!

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!
______________

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.

Beware!  See the following message from Captain Cody, 104th Precinct.  Please pass this on, particularly to your Hispanic neighbors/friends.
______________  

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.