Dear COLlive,
On Monday, one of my married children was pick-pocketed on Utica Avenue in the morning hours. The thief stole a credit card and spent $600 in 15 minutes.
My children didn’t want to prosecute because of fear of reprisal.
On a previous occasion, after a burglary, a police officer told my child “not to fear revenge.” The child answered: “When they find me cut up and dead in an alley, what will you say then?”
If my child would have said to the officer, “I want a signed, witnessed guarantee of 5 million dollars for any harm that might come to me,” do you think the government would agree? I don’t think so.
There are possibly hundreds of unreported crimes per week in New York City due to fear. Seems like one cannot feel ‘at home’ or relaxed in their own neighborhood…
I hope to get other cases come to light so we can publicly air the situation in our community and city because the message we are giving is that “crime pays!”
Todah raabah,
Boruch N. Hoffinger
One of the members of our ‘Vaad HaKahal’ was unhappy with this article because it might instigate people not to report crimes out of fear.
I’ve reported crimes.
One doesn’t always have to confront the criminal.
Every report helps us.
#27 Very correct! #31 ‘Tov Meod!’ #30 True! My child disputed it. Why didn’t the store ask for identification? They should bear the loss. #33 Think…Just go on The Internet and find the address and phone (Public one.) quickly. Also age, etc. For a few dollars you can get a criminal background check and other info. (Public info.) We need more of a thinking public in Crown Heights. Also, no stating one’s name is very unhealthy…one doesn’t have to be responsible or think. This harms the person bec. he/she continues this behavior into their lives and can cause them problems.… Read more »
what in the world?!
cant you say anything positive?!!
nobody gets this? of course they know his name ,they have his credit card>>>>> whose chedit card doesnt have their name on it???
BUT they DONT know where he lives>>>
Use a pistol against a pick pocketer? You’ve got to be kidding! Or stupid.
Why be not nice! sounds like you are defending the criminal, the way you call him a loser. Its shocking!! He is absolutely right – it is the same in London – it’s useless going to the police. better idea to go to the bank or call credit card company and report it. will get the money back.
Since when is a credit card holder responsible for $600 in fraudulent charges made after a card is stolen? Tell the credit card company what happened and you shouldn’t have to pay most if not all of it.
Forgot to ad one detail.
The pre-Pesach auto burglary ended up with the state prosecuting the criminal. Since he used the credit card it’s called ‘grand larceny.’ Being a repeat offender (Who isn’t?) this will give him extra time in jail.
Thanks everyone for responding. Dear #4 #12 #15 #16 #17 #19 #22 #25 #26… “…Interviews with 109 intimidated witnesses and 11 criminal justice officials from the Brooklyn Criminal Court (New York) revealed that most witnesses were threatened more than once, often in their personal domains, and that 23 percent were re-victimized….” https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publications/Abstract.aspx?id=89155 There are many other states with this problem. (The above NY.) Also…all the above commentators must be asleep…the victim’s name is on the card. Her husband didn’t want her to prosecute. Some of the comments, like #12, etc. are really ‘Sick.’ My daughter CANNOT afford to lose $600.… Read more »
If you were so ‘brave’ (more like stupid) you would take the mirror WHILE he was there. YOU DIDNT! Because you were scared, nay? (Or Because you know life is more valuable than to risk it for some negative comments aimed at you), so you came back………………later.
He said the comments TO YOU, AT YOU.
YOU took the mirror…………only the car saw that.
Food for thought………………….
Just a bit 😉
You are afraid of nothing, based on what exactly are you afraid of reprisals, there are so many people that have crimes committed to them that prosecute and lock up the criminal and nothing happens? You are just creating fear for no reason, imagine everybody was like you, there would be no cops, no judges, nobody who would stand up to criminals and the criminals would run the place, by not reporting this YOU ARE A PART OF THE PROBLEM!! And anyway the thief is probably a loser (like you) who is scared to confront people, that is why he… Read more »
Just because you are overly paranoid therefore crime pays?
I disagree, I believe that you are a loser and because you are not reporting it and taking care of it more people will get hurt, you gotta be tough or you will get roughed up.
Now pick yourself up and do what you gotta do.
dispute the charge, the same thing happened to me a while ago, and i didnt realize till the next moring, when i went online to pay my bill, and it was a few hundred $ that was stolen from a card, and called the credit card company, and they put the charge back right away..
On number 19?
Well done. 🙂
Every month the police dept must give a report on how many crimes where committed in their community. The cops don’t want the number to be big because that makes them look bad. At the same time, if the report shows an increase in crime, more cops would be sent or and held accountable to protect that community. Please for the sake of CH make a police report and forget the fear. There is nothing to fear.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON COLIVE
Well the answer is to learn self defense and try getting a legal Gun license I have been involved in the past in arranging classes in CH and the response well lets just say was amazing people just don’t seem to feel its important STOP relying on the police and become comfortable protecting yourself
But your children are chickens. Fear of reprisal? Would you rather go to the slaughter like sheep?
A few weeks ago some guy made anti semitic slurs to me. I came back later and took his car mirror as a souvenir.
Hey Bruce, Long time no hear from you. Like the Rebbe says
if you dont report good news you will need to report bad news.
Please share your thoughts with us agian as you used to in the past
We are a simple people and your guidence was well recieved
what r u expecting??
u dont tell the police, and on top of that u blame them?? get with reality! sitting around complaining will get u nowhere…its kind of common sense 🙂
the guy who pick pocketed he dosnt know who he stole from he needed money and happend 2 c ur child he dosnt remmber the face and dosnt know where u live make a police reprt not a problom
I confused. The conclusion of this story is an assumption. I thought it was going to be that they didn’t let you report it. I don’t see why you won’t report it, do you think they know who you are?
Kahana Tzadak!
first off all,all you have to do is call your credit card fraud dpot
to make a claim and you will get the money back,and even if you make a police report to show the cc dpot and dont tell the cops to look in to it they will be happy not too look in too it
If your daughter can afford to lose $600 to a ganef, then I have kids on Shlichus who will be happy to receive such a nice donation & give her a tax deduction letter.
Heres my solution, buy a gun.. buy a gun for your family members.. teach them to shoot, teach the entire jewish community to shoot.. push them and help them get concealed weapons. Why ? simple… if an attacker tries to harm me or my family, i will tell him that he had better think twice or he will meet some .45 cal JHP.. Or in extreme cases I will shoot.. my community will not be terrorized… I have taught over 100 hundred jews to shoot.. Just 2 weeks ago I organized a concealed weapons course here in miamii and 10… Read more »
What were you doing on Utica?
If the criminal is no longer on the scene you don’t need to be afraid. If they are on the scene you may encounter hostility.. not only from the criminals. The police here often take the side of the perpetrators if they are on the scene and not obviously holding a weapon- and may give you a very hard time. Always make sure to call shmira or a family member after calling the police so you will not be alone. It doesn’t make sense but such is Crown Heights today.
time to learn how to take care of yourself
it is not the cops responsibly to protect you
you can make a report, they will never find the guy, nor even try.
Thank you!!!
Your kid is a wuss
Why are you scared?
WHAT THE ‘N’ STANDS FOR!!!
And this after signing your name on collive for over 4 years. My guess is ‘Norman’.
Zvi
The day is fast approaching when you will dial 911 and get a busy signal. Stop relying on the police who are there only to ticket you and start learning how to defend yourself!
When life and death is only a matter of seconds the police are only minutes away!
its the same anywhere… members of the jury and judges have the same issue. it isn’t specific to crown heights.