By Carol Tannenhauser
The NYPD 20th Precinct detective squad is focused on finding four people in connection with the assault and attempted robbery of a 57-year-old woman last Thursday night, beneath the construction scaffolding at 69th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. The incident occurred within a week of the afternoon assault and robbery of an 85-year-old woman on 74th Street and Broadway, near Fairway Market.
“I am very concerned about these two incidents,” Deputy Inspector Timothy Malin, the commanding officer of the 20th Precinct told WSR in an email Sunday night. “It is important to note, though, that they are not connected. As [WSR] covered, there was an arrest in the first one. In the more recent one, there is high-quality video, which really helps us. This case has become the number one priority of our detective squad. We are pouring all of our resources into finding the would-be robbers.”
DI Malin will be available for further discussion and comment next Monday night, October 28th, at the monthly precinct Community Council meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. at the precinct house at 120 West 82nd Street. All are invited to attend.
Isn’t it actually MORE concerning that the two incidents were unrelated?!
Anyone else notice an increase of crime in the area?
It’s only going to get worse. The word is out that cops really can’t do anything unless they must because of their “hands-off” orders from higher ups. Rampant homeless people has now lead to some truly violent (from mental illness), homeless people (both men and women), whom I have seen verbally and physically attack people. Right here, during the daylight hours, on Broadway, on Central Park West. Marijuana smoke fills the air everywhere, people light up in full view of the police. I feel bad for seniors and women, because they have no chance when being physically assaulted.
The marijuana issue is real and your statement about that is true. Reliable sources support your assertion that the mayor instructed police not to arrest people for low-level pot crimes. I would like some evidence for the statement that police have been told they can’t put their hands on someone when the person commits a violent crime.
May I ask where you’ve seen homeless people physically attacking people?
Because the robberies and attacks have been committed by folks in their teens-twenties who are NOT homeless.
It’s unfair to lump the homeless people in the neighborhood with the crimes being committed.
I have been threatened by homeless people 3 times this summer. Once on 110th street and Broadway, a guy wanted to hit me with a cane. Once on 98th and Broadway and 97th and Broadway. I have been aggressively “in my face” asked for money numerous times on west 94th street between Broadway and WEA. There is a guy in front of McDonald’s on Broadway… do I have to continue. The UWS has become considerably more dangerous over the past 2 years. Try going to the 96th Street subway at 5am.
Verbally threatening is much different than physically attacking.
I agree, there needs to be more mental health advocates for the increasing homeless population (throughout the country, not just here) but the fact of the matter is, the homeless folks that most people step over or hurry past in this area aren’t violent. Maybe take a second to show some compassion and you’ll see that the majority of them will be grateful. Lumping them into the marauding groups of thugs running around mugging people doesn’t help their plight. And by all means, if someone is verbally aggressive or physically threatening, call 911.
To @UWSHebrew, marijuana smoke doesn’t cause these robberies/assualts either. As a matter of fact, it’s legal in most places. So let’s not use that as an excuse either. There’s an uptick in violence, I think we can all agree on that, but homelessness & pot are not the culprit.
My husband and I found ourselves walking through that construction site scaffolding on Saturday afternoon, and no one should walk through there alone, particularly when no work is being done. It’s completely obstructed from the street – making it a perfect crime site.
Good warning! Thx –
Each incident of crime is not evidence of an increase in crime as the level has never been at zero. This is New York City, the largest city in the country. Crime has always existed here and always will.
The police are addressing both incidents with one case already solved. You can’t say that the cops are helpless as they are actually very much involved here.
Going after the criminals after it all happened is THE LEAST the NYPD can do, it’s their obligation. How about good ole preventative policing, walking around the neighborhood, making your presence felt? It’s been a long time since I last spotted cops walking around in the hood. Where are they, what have they been up to? And the 20th precinct area is not that big, we can all agree on that. And I agree with Jack, it’s MORE concerning the fact that these crimes are not connected – more creeps around. That’s what the feeling of impunity brings out. Instead of preventing crime, our reactive police spends more resources solving crimes than avoiding them in the first place. Awful de Blasio policy to blame, with inaction of the higher ranks of the NYPD which passively watch it all and do nothing about it.
It’s not difficult to find police just sitting in their cars with their faces glued to their cellphones. That’s what they’re doing.
Go to 95th & Riverside most mornings and you’ll find a police car waiting for red-light runners who are on their phones most of the time.
To clarify….cops in a waiting police car on their phones
To NY10023: Do you even live here? Have you seen the group in front of McDonalds on Amsterdam/71st? Have you seen the homeless person who has set up housekeeping there? How about the mentally ill man and friends screaming and shouting around the booksellers that we cant get rid of…how about the wandering homeless men all over the neighborhood or the homeless person who set up his mattress on the sidewalk. Everyone knows the UWS side is sinking into a filthy neighborhood with garbage strewn corners and dozens of bicycles chained for no reason on Amsterdam avenue again near that McDonalds. We have broken decrepit trash filled newspaper boxes, gathering rats that are huge and just plain well fed.Please open your eyes. Something is very wrong here
everyone knows and no one does anything. I intend to call the publications whose boxes have broken glass, one leg, and rats. That’s my contribution. This was once a really nice neighborhood and yes, between the homeless vagrants, the hordes of tourists throwing trash around etc. etc. -it’s just over.
@lyriclark
Do I even live here? Why yes, yes I do. As a matter of fact I live right across the street from where the mugging took place and 2 blocks away from the McDonalds that you are speaking of.
My point is, these crimes being committed are not being done by the homeless people that you find so appalling. Also, the trash, the bikes chained up on Amsteram and the overfilled newspaper stands aren’t mugging people either.
You’re bringing up multiple issues which aren’t even remotely linked to the article or my original observation that the homeless people aren’t responsible for these crimes. It’s safe to assume that even if you somehow got the bikes unlocked on Amsterdam, the trash cleaned up, the rats eradicated and the bothersome mentally ill people removed from your beloved McDonalds, these crimes still would have occurred.
First of all, I support the NYPD and authority. However, the 20th precincts is a COMPLETE joke. Myself and neighbors had filed reports in the past with them and they just take your info and basically we never hear from them again. If you follow up with them, it’s like you are starting all over again filing report. Even just to get a case number took 4 weeks! Detectives are always out of office, on vacation or “still out and not in yet”. They gave me their cell phone number but they leave their cell phone at their desk when they “go out”.
I ended up having an officer in mid-town checking in on my case for me after I’ve received the case number. He was able to update me, answer my questions, and was far more helpful within a week than my local precinct.
To be honest, I don’t feel safe with the 20th precinct at all. They have no urgency, no supervisor hold them accountable with the cases they are assigned, and there’s not a dual/partner setup (so if they go on vacation then your case is on hold, no one else will help you because “it’s not their case”). The detective squad is on the second floor and I’ve heard them yell at the “PO” on the first floor when the PO are just trying to help me – quite traumatizing to witness. And I’m pretty sure they are made to say “We take this very seriously” just to get you out of their station doors as soon as possible.
Anyone who lives on the UWS has surely seen the same man who walks up and down Amsterdam and Broadway yelling violent threats.
Not usually directed at anyone in particular. He’s drunk when he does this. He’s homeless but isn’t obviously so because he doesn’t carry his stuff around (I’ve seen him sleeping in a Riverside underpass at night).
he’s an early 20s black man, about 6’1″, thin build. he has frightened me and my wife a dozen times in the last 2 years.
I don’t understand how he gets away with doing this. surely the cops must see him if I do?
Yes, I know exactly who he is, and occasionally he has a lady friend drunk with him, sometimes getting intimate with her on Broadway and 79th st at the center island there. I cross the street a block before just to avoid him while crossing Broadway on 79th. It’s very disturbing and never saw anyone do anything about his violent bursts. It’s a (bigger) problem waiting to happen. And yet great 20th precinct DOES NOTHING to prevent it. They come rushing after something bad happened, like the knife stabbing on 81st between Amsterdam and Broadway a month ago. We need to make our voices heard! Please come to the precinct community meeting on Monday Oct 28 at 7pm. They need to know this is not okay
We used to “Blame It On The Bosa Nova”, now we can “Blame It On DeBlasio”.
Police are fine and brave men and women.
Why don’t you people wake up and understand that the problem is with YOUR politicians, not with NYPD? Seriously, is it so hard to understand?
Let’s talk about lawlessness…..
Baby powder containing asbestos; a president who violated the constitution on day one; vaping products that kill; rampant off-shore tax avoidance; sexual predators buying protection; toxic PFAS chemicals in our bodies; lead in our water; lies about the effects of CO2; lies to start wars. Until you acknowledge and denounce these crimes you have no moral authority to complain about someone sleeping on the street who is not even breaking a law. Your outrage is misplaced. These criminals are destroying our very society.
The police are not to blame. They have been cuffed by our current Mayor and City Council, and can only do what they are told. If we truly want to change what is happening, our anger and outrage should be directed at our lawmakers, not our lawkeepers.
I agree, Rob G.
Our lawmakers should make laws that protect people. They should outlaw predatory lending, redlining mortgages, unlimited campaign contributions, privatizing education, for profit health care, toxic waste… oh wait. There are lawmakers trying to do those things to protect people. Others are busy passing laws to criminalize poverty and scapegoat others. Which side are you on?
I’m on the side of my family and yours, who you presumably want to keep safe from those who would harm them. Not really certain what the rest of your rant was about, but thanks.