Newly arrived Commanding Officer, Captain Nancy Barry, was introduced on Wednesday night at the 7th Precinct Community Council Meeting. It’s a homecoming of sorts. She got her start as a police officer in 1981, in the 7th. Thirty years later, after moving up through the ranks of the NYPD, she’s back in the old neighborhood.
This week Barry gave awards to the two officers who went to great lengths to catch a suspect accused of stealing several ATM machines in Lower Manhattan (noted a few weeks ago in our “Dumb Crook Alert”). One of the officers jumped into the East River to catch the suspect. Awards were also given out to two officers who caught a woman suspected of numerous grand larcenies and many robberies (Police Officer Lugo and Police Officer Ducreton, pictured above) .
Barry reported monthly crime stats, noting that overall crime in the neighborhood is down by 27%. Crime statistics for the 7th Precinct can be found online here. She also noted that overall crime city-wide is down 12% since last year. In our area, murder and rape are down 100% since last month and robbery is down by 42% (there were 11 reported). Grand larceny is down by 43% (there were 18 reported) but felony assaults are up by 33% (8 reported) and burglaries are up by 50% (3 reported).
Captain Barry said the precinct is seeing an uptick in grand larceny. These are crimes frequently happen when people leave their possessions unattended. The suspects often work in groups of to or three, causing a disturbance as a diversionary tactic.
She mentioned a video of a robbery that was released which shows a woman being dragged and having her purse stolen on Hester Street. Barry suggested residents only carry with them the things they really need and avoid purses with long straps.
Community Affairs Officer Teo has asked The Lo-Down to encourage our readers to be mindful of how and where they place
their belongings when enjoying our community and its wonderful
establishments.
Other items of note from this month’s meeting:
- A resident said drivers are running the red light off of the FDR at Grand Street because it takes so long to change.
- National Night Out – Police & Community Working Together – is scheduled for August 4th and will take place on Ludlow Street between Orchard and Essex.
- Officer Lau reported that over 192 summons had been issued to charter buses in Chinatown for idling, after residents on Pike Street complained that the buses were attracting unruly crowds, creating gridlock on the streets and spewing exhaust into the air.
