(click map for interactive version of map with event details and locations)
An email has been making the rounds among North End residents regarding a string of burglaries in the North End of New Rochelle over the past six months. Police suspect a team of experienced burglars have been canvassing homes in the North End, forcing their way into homes and moving in and out of the houses very quickly. In many cases, the burglars are gone before police are even notified of the break-in by alarm companies.
Police records show that since October 1, 2009 there have been 21 burglaries and 4 attempted burglaries in the “North End” of New Rochelle, described as North of Eastchester Road but West of North Avenue and North of Fifth Avenue but East of North Avenue.
Hi All-
I wanted to get the word out if you have not heard already about the rash of robberies that has hit the North End of New Rochelle. Apparently there is a team that has been hitting homes, when people are not home between the hours of 5pm – 11. They have been smashing in sliders or front doors and going right for the bedroom in search of jewelry. They are in and out of the homes before the alarm companies can get the police there. The police are working on it but it is not being made public…I think the more people that are aware, the better. A friend of mine was robbed 2 weeks ago. Thankfully she was not home. She relayed some things the police told her- If you see anyone that looks suspicious to call them- they will come out. They also said to keep your house well lit in the evening hours, especially if you are not home. You may also want to call your alarm company, alert them and change your call order. Usually, they will contact you, then the others on your call list before contacting the police. By then it will be too late. Please pass this along to other New Rochelle friends and neighbors. The more people that know the better.
Stay Safe,
A—- A——
It has been a known-issue among New Rochelle City Officials that the New Rochelle Police Department does not have sufficient manpower to cover the North End of New Rochelle to allow it to respond very quickly to reported break-ins and calls from alarm companies. “To a large extent”, said one City official who asked not to be identified, “North End residents are on their own.”
The email being sent around contains the best advice police can offer:
- Report any suspicious persons or anything that is out of place such a vehicle parked in an unusual location.
- Keep the house well lit in the evening hours, especially if you are not home. Leaving a radio or television on can help.
- For those with alarms, use them. For those without them, get them.
- Direct the alarm company to call the police, FIRST.
NOTE: The police classify a break-in and taking of personal property as a burglary; a “robbery” is “stick-up” where property is taken from a person by force or implied force. So “rash of burglaries” is the correct phrase to describe these events.
Some residents have contacted Talk of the Sound to ask why the New Rochelle Police do not proactively warn residents when there is increased activity of this kind. The police are acting on direction from City officials who are concerned with protecting home values in the area. This is a trade-off that City officials have long made. The question is whether concerns over public awareness of criminal activity in the North End outweighs concerns over public safety.
In answer to those who have asked why more police cars are not deployed in the North End, you might first look at the entire map of New Rochelle linked above and scroll down to the South End where the number of burglaries far outweighs those in the North End. The same pattern exists for most every other type of crime that occurs in New Rochelle. Police have to deploy most of their resources in the South End because that is where most of the criminal activity occurs. There are a handful of buildings that account for the bulk of the use of police resources in New Rochelle: some of the public housing facilities and New Roc City.
North End residents might then ask how many mobile units are deployed on each shift, especially between the hours of 5 PM and 11 PM when most these burglaries are occurring. North End residents in District 6 will have a chance to raise these questions directly to Councilwoman Marianne Sussman who will be holding a District 6 Neighborhood Associations meeting on Tuesday April 27th, 7:30 PM at Beth El Synagogue Center at North and Quaker Ridge Road. Kathy Gilwit, Director of Communications and Marketing for the City of New Rochelle will be the Special Guest.
UPDATE: At the City Council meeting today, District 6 Councilwoman Marianne Sussman raised the issue of the North End Burglary Spree in the context of an appearance before Council of Police Commissioner Carroll to discuss proposed security cameras in New Rochelle. Sussman asked if cameras could be place at ramps leading to/from the Hutchinson River Parkway. Carroll stated that this could be done. He further stated that as part of police efforts to deal with the North End Burglary Spree, the police were following a procedure to check if they had issues any citations in the area and that they would check vehicles coming in/out of the area via security cameras if/when they were available. Carroll specifically mentioned a “white van”.
UPDATE: City of New Rochelle Civic Alert. To put this information in context I was looking on the City web site and found the following information:
The one figure that did see an increase in 2009 was burglary, of about 15%. While still low numerically in comparison to other years and even last year (206 incidents in 2009 versus 179 in 2008) the New Rochelle Police Department is committed to reducing these crimes by 10% in 2010, said Police Commissioner Patrick Carroll.
Highway Ramps and Citations
Re: Sussman asked if cameras could be place at ramps leading to/from the Hutchinson River Parkway.
Getting Cameras installed will take months and will be promtly avoided by the Professional Thieves who will take I-95, Wilmont Road, Weaver Street, Forest Ave etc, etc into New Rochelle. Place Cameras all over?
The fact is that Commissioner Carroll is a politician and afraid to state the truth, The thieves will be caught by chance or luck. I am sure he has done what can be done. Having more Police in the vicinity (and issuing a bunch of tickets to the poor homeowners) This may work in detering the thieves. BUT what will work is Time. The thieves will keep doing it, get unlucky and get caught. Or they will move on.
The real sin is why it takes months for the citizens of New Rochelle to be told that this is going on. I live in the North End and recieved 5 calls from Noam about trees down and that dry Ice is here! (reminded me of Dr. Suess. “Ice for sale 5 cents a pail”) I get calls about changes in garbage collection. But a warning that there is a rash of burglaries and I may come home to burglars in my house? nothing.
Thanks.
Gang On Burglary Spree In Westchester – Story on CBS2
CBS Ch 2 news picked up on this and did a story on this last night and this morning – see their web for Video – Tony Aiello reporting. He is a plugged in NR guy
must be “real” news then
Here is the link to Tony’s story with video: http://wcbstv.com/local/new.rochelle.burglary.2.1633184.html
Here is a link to my mention that WCBS ran the story:
http://www.newrochelletalk.com/node/1806
For folks who don’t know, many in the local media follow Talk of the Sound, among many other sources, as a sort of “tip sheet” for the area.
Some folks have the funny idea that there is something wrong with this or that I would be unhappy about it. Quite the contrary, a main goal of Talk of the Sound is to increase transparency in New Rochelle and one good way to accomplish that is more media coverage. This is a good thing!
BTW, Bruce, while I have you here. I have been trying to contact you for weeks to remind you that you need to work on better headlines. The headline of a story is very valuable real estate. To use it up telling people how to tune into the show every week is wasteful. Use the headline to tell people ABOUT the show that night so they know WHETHER they should tune in. If you hook them with the headline they will click and read more about HOW and WHEN to tune it.
If you have a guest, feature that.
Weeks?
You have been trying to contact me for weeks? I post most every Thursday on your blog so I guess you could have reached me that way for the last few weeks.
I also list my email address newronewsandviews@yahoo.com on the post but I cannot recall receiving anything from you. Strange.
forwarded you 6 emails
since we talked in January about putting your audio files of your show on the web.
Click the call me button in the right side of the page.
Bob
Sussman is just another
Sussman is just another plural vote for Mayor Bramson.
Another bad local attorney eating away at the public trough. Geez with any luck she will have had enough or need to look after some grandkids or something other than mucking up the IDA and the city Council.
The North end affinity vote just keeps the mediocre around as they are afraid to venture out of their ethnic comfort zone.
What a sham that she can retain her council position being that out of touch with reality.
word is she is considering greener pastures…
…nothing official yet but she is said to have an eye on becoming a judge.
Do Ask your District 6 Council person about this
Back in a 2007 at the League of Woman Voters debate Council person Sussman called the idea of increased police presence in the North End via a satellite police station or increased patrols “Foolish”.
No embellishment, no quote out of context here. That was her exact comment when asked. I will never forget it.
There is no doubt the South End needs and deserves to be protected but when crime comes in bunches like this it has to be addressed and resources allocated. Crime has no place in any part of New Ro.
Councilwoman Sussman Responds
Bruce,
In case you missed it, Marianne Sussman raised the issue of the North End Burglaries. That this was a few hours after the above story ran MAY have been coincidence. Readers can decide.
crime in the city
I believe Brown raised the point of establishing a police precinct in upper north avenue (old firehouse?). Not sure.
I am sure that every part of the city deserves and should have proper police presence. the idea proposed by ms. sussman has little merit and i am not surprised that Commissioner Carroll jumped on it as he apparently did.
Carroll strongly opposed decentralizing mini precincts or the like around the city and the lack of a seen uniformed police presence is not in the best interests of safety and certainly not in any so-called sustainabilty program directed at growing or developing the city. Downtown is the prime example; when you add parking woes to the equation, the willingnesss of high rise, higher income folks to patronize downtown establishments weakens,
I tried to get the point across that city planning is not the purview of the commissioner, rather it is the city administration who should call the tune. But they defer to the Commissioner — I guess there is somethng magical or intoxicating about all of the city’s major infrastructure huddling in and around the narrow confine of 515 North.
I wish more people would think about and advocate for moving some essential services and supports downtown and yes, police precincts or at least a presence to any part of the city requiring additional services.
warren gross