Concerned Howard Beach residents called for swift police action after news of a carjacking at gunpoint on 159th Avenue last Tuesday night.
But the incident, which involved a local businessman/resident, was not the only one to hit the community.
Less than two weeks before, another resident met with a gunman demanding the keys to his car. “He showed me the gun and told me to give him the keys,” said the man, who asked not to be identified by name.
He complied and watched as the thief fled in his 2013 Range Rover in the direction of Cross Bay Boulevard. The incident took place in the vicinity of 160th Avenue and 91st Street.
The thief was described as a male Hispanic and young–– “maybe in his 20’s.” The victim followed up with detectives at the 106th Precinct and looked through mug shots for possible identifications however none were found to be of consideration.
Now police are investigating a second incident, which occurred about two and a half blocks away on 159th Avenue near 92nd Street.
Joe Evola, owner of Gino’s Pizzeria on Cross Bay Boulevard left his store about 10:30 P.M. to walk to his usual parking spot around the corner. As he approached his 2013 Porshe Cayenne he saw the man headed toward him. “He was wearing a mask and he had a gun,” Evola told The Forum.
“He was trying to intimidate me, cursing at me. He was rough and very nasty; ‘give me the mother f—–g keys’, he said,” Evola recalled. “I gave him the keys right away.”
Having surrendered the keys, he started to walk away but suddenly he felt a surge of pain. The thief struck him with the butt of the gun opening up the back of his head. Now the attacker turned, got in the car and took off.
Bleeding and dazed he made his way back to Gino’s and called 911. He was rushed to the hospital at North Shore LIJ, where it required 22 stitches to close his wound.
“I was only praying that he didn’t ask me for money,” he said. “I only had $5.00 in my pocket. He might have killed me for that.”
With growing concern among the residential and business community, customers and store owners alike are abuzz, with news of the armed robberies spreading like wildfire through the community.
“We have great reason to be concerned,” says Joe Russo Jr., owner of Ragtime Newsstand on the corner of Cross Bay Boulevard and 158th Avenue. And Russo says a man came into his store two weeks ago around 4:30 A.M. and demanded money. Surveillance video clearly shows the masked bandit motioning to a gun under his shirt, demanding money from behind the widow. The store clerk got into a verbal altercation with the man who reached into a refrigerator and took a four pack of Red Bull before fleeing the store with no money.
Russo, a life long resident of Howard Beach termed the wave of car jackings as disturbing and pointed to a lack of patrols as the largest concern. “We’re open 24/7 because the community counts on that. But honestly it’s starting to feel like that’s a risk. People have to feel safe on the streets of their neighborhood.”
To that end some homeowners in the community have been reaching out to friends and neighbors asking that they attend the precinct council meeting to be held at the 106 precinct next Wednesday night, December 11.
The Forum has learned that police patrols have been stepped up in the area and will continue to increase as the investigation widens. “We take this type of crime very seriously,” said Ken Zorn from Community Affairs at the 106. He also explained that in addition to applying additional resources from within the precinct itself that additional personnel were sent to the precinct from the borough and city units.
Councilman Eric Ulrich says his office has received many calls and is aware of growing concerns over police presence in Howard Beach. “The general feeling is that police presence is not nearly strong enough,” said Ulrich. “People are fearful for themselves and for their families.” Ulrich called upon the Borough Command to take a more active role in assisting the robbery squad and the detectives at the 106 in the investigation. “I am deeply concerned with the urgency of the situation and I encourage everyone that is able to attend the 106 Precinct Council meeting on December 11. I’ve seen it work before. The communities that make the most noise, get the most cops.”
By Patricia Adams
