Police are hoping recent arrests will calm down a surge of burglaries that happened in the 112th Precinct.
Captain Ralph Forgione and Crime Prevention Officer Zena Vailes told Community Board 6 and residents that there have been three recent arrests for burglary within the confines of the 112 Precinct. Vailes said that the burglars entered homes with unlocked doors.
“Guys are going in through the rear door and helping themselves to your personal property,” she said.
Vailes added that she hopes those arrests will calm down the recent surge of burglaries in the area.
“Still that doesn’t mean it’s okay to leave your doors and windows unlocked; make sure you lock up,” Vailes said.
She also reported that a woman had her wallet taken near Our Lady of Mercy Church, on Kessel Street in Forest Hills. They didn’t have information on who could have taken the purse, but Vailes did say that other people noticed another woman hovering around the victim. By the time she noticed that it was missing, the other lady disappeared.
Vailes advised people to watch their personal belongings when walking around in public.
“No matter where you are, hold onto your personal property,” she said.
According to the latest CompStat statistics from the 112th Precinct for the week of June 4 through June 10, burglary is up 50 percent for the last 28 day period. There were 15 reported burglaries for this time period this year compared to 10 last year.
For the year overall, burglaries are down 21 percent in the precinct, with 48 reported burglaries this time last year and 64 last year during the same time period.
In an update of a robbery that took place a few weeks ago, police arrested two people who have been charged with robbing an elderly blind woman on the platform of the Forest Hills E/F subway station.
According to published reports, Latisha Richardson, 39, of Jamaica was arrested and charged with grand larceny, possession of stolen property, jostling and criminal possession of a controlled substance. The New York Daily News reported that Richardson was originally arrested for possession of crack and then they realized that she was the same person who robbed the 68-year-old woman.
Police also arrested Michael Peoples, 45, in relation to the same robbery. Cops are still looking for a third unidentified man that’s wanted for this robbery.
Vailes said that the woman was unharmed from the incident.
“People are just heartless,” she said of the robbery. “You would think that people would leave her alone and go to the next person.”
There was also nothing new to report on the suspect that’s wanted for allegedly raping two women and robbing a third.
Police are still looking for Ibrahima Ragis for the three incidents that happened between May 19 and June 3. Precinct officers handed out flyers that had Ragis’ photo and description on it.
By Luis Gronda
