Neighbors Meet with 70th Precinct to Discuss Safety

Members of the 70th Precinct and the Fiske Terrace Neighborhood Association met Tuesday night to discuss crime in the area and what can be done to remain safe.

Safety was always a concern amongst neighbors in the association, but a string of break-ins in the neighborhood prompted the group to reach out to the 70th Precinct about meeting, said Nancy Berenbaum, co-president of FTA. 

"[The break-ins] brought the issue to the forefront," Berenbaum said. 

Deputy Inspector Eric Rodriguez noted that the area had been plagued with burglaries during the summer, but said that because of information communicated between neighboring precincts as well as provided by residents, three suspects were arrested for the acts. 

Rodriguez said the suspects were arrested, released and arrested for burgulary again. They were released once again, but their court date is soon, he continued. 

Separately, he noted that in many cases, laptops, computers, cell phones and other valuables are left near open windows and then stolen. He suggested residents be vigilant about securing their homes.

"Do you want to put bars on your homes? No," Rodriguez said. "But to really, really secure your houses is something we recommend you do." 

The 70th Precinct Crime Prevention Unit is available to visit homes in the neighborhood and determine if security needs to be tightened, he said.

"When we talk about police and community, it's a partnership," Rodriguez said, noting that if a person sees something they think is strange, they shouldn't hestitate in reporting it. 

Rodriguez also discussed the many crimes people commonly find themselves a victim of, including identity theft and robbery. 

"With the holidays coming up, areas are going to get crowded," he said. "Be careful." 

He also noted people are taking advantage of the situation Hurricane Sandy has created. "People are going to try to put guilt on you," he said. "People are going to try to make money off it."

Though many examples of crime and what to do were discussed, the main point that could be taken away from the meeting was simple: be careful and always be aware. "You always have to think," Rodriguez said.