The Douglass Houses, where two of the robberies occurred.
By Joy Bergmann
In three incidents in the past two weeks, armed men have approached victims to steal their smartphones and other personal property in the 24th Precinct, Deputy Inspector Marlon Larin told Community Council attendees Wednesday evening.
On January 19th at around 6:20 p.m., a man displaying a firearm confronted two people at 325 W. 93rd Street and demanded their property, including two smartphones.
A responding NYPD officer used his personal iPhone to track one of the stolen iPhones as it moved up to the 166th Street area of the Bronx; he also sent a text message that would display to anyone using the stolen phone, “Call 24th Precinct.” Someone did, reportedly a person who purchased the hot property. Detectives returned two phones to the victims and feel confident about catching the thief; video captured his image but NYPD has not released the footage, Larin said.
On the mornings of January 5th and 14, students short-cutting through Douglass Houses at 103rd Street were approached by men with firearms demanding their phones and property. The 24th Precinct added extra patrols, expanding the school team’s hours of operation and surveillance of the area.
The principal at MS 54 on 107th street sent a notice about one of the muggings:
Dear Parents:
Last week, a former student of ours, now a ninth grader, was walking through the Douglass Houses, at 103rd Street, to get from Amsterdam Avenue to the subway on Central Park West at about 7AM. He was held up at gunpoint by two men in their 20s. One of the men was wearing a ski mask. Luckily the student was unharmed. The perpetrators took his phone and money. They even made him unlock his phone before running off.The 24th Precinct has added extra patrols and plain-clothed officers both in the morning and after school, but please have yet another discussion with your children about street safety. Walking and talking on the phone, walking and texting on the phone and having their phones visible makes them targets. Encourage them to stay on well-traveled paths to and from school. If they choose to play in the school yard before or after school, know that it is not supervised. They need to keep their belongings close.
Elana Elster
Larin reminded community members to keep alert and not be mesmerized by their phones while walking or taking the subway.
“mesmerized by a phone”, which more than half the world is….something I will never understand
the police officer had to use his own iPhone? These types of crimes happening every day didn’t provide nypd issued tools and training to the officers?
I know this will set off yet another political firestorm, but I noticed both of these incidents involved guns and I can’t help but wonder if this is because criminals are less afraid to carry guns under the new stop & frisk limitations. Stops are way way down under the new construct. They know there’s a much lower chance of them getting caught.
you may or may not be right that criminals are less afraid to carry guns.
HOWEVER, if the assailants approached me with a knife, I don’t think my reaction would be any different. Really, any threat of physical harm would cause me to hand over my phone… I’m not a martial arts black belt with sufficient confidence and skill to fight back.
So… gun or no gun, these crimes would have still happened.
Agreed.
BINGO! You nailed it and you can thank the dishonorable mayor who in less than 2 years has turned this city back into a cesspool
“Men with firearms” at Douglass. Out effing standing. The cops know where the illegal weapons are, they know the criminals aren’t afraid to use them. But they won’t take action to get them (weapons or criminals) off the street. There should be unannounced police sweeps of known gangbangers’ apartments. And the homes of their associates. These people are no better than terrorists.
Hahah, They texted “Call 24th precinct”. They honestly cant be this dumb. Dont blame the mayor. Blame the cops. They have the ability to track the preperator of a ARMED robbery and they decide to text him. Luckily they sold the phone off and our cops arent smart enough to ask who sold the phone. If your robbed in the area of the 24th precinct, you’re better off calling Maury to track down the suspect. Don’t expect anyone to do any real police work around here. What the Mayor should do is replace all of them.
Goodluck neighbors. Dont let them catch you Jaywalking, unarmed of course.
Who’s Maury?