Crime Down In 66th Precinct According To Captain Quick

PO Ciarvino, PO Salem, and PO Shawn receiving the Cop of the Month award. (Photo by Shannon Geis/KensingtonBK)
PO Ciarvino, PO Salem, and PO Shawn receiving the Cop of the Month award. (Photo by Shannon Geis/KensingtonBK)

Both robberies and burglaries are down nearly 40 percent in the 66th Precinct, according to Captain Kenneth Quick at the recent Community Council Meeting last Thursday.

Both robberies and burglaries were up last month but those numbers have since come down thanks to the work of the day tour anti-crime team, which took home the Cop of the month distinction. P.O. Ciarvino, P.O. Salem, and P.O. Shawn were all present to receive the award from Capt. Quick.

The plainclothes officers worked to solve the problem of burglaries along 8th Avenue and New Utrecht Avenue by looking for video footage showing the perpetrator. They were able to spot a man driving a tow truck near several of the incidents, but did not have video of the actual burglaries.

When they spotted the man on Fort Hamilton Parkway, they arrested him for illegal position of a police scanner and were able to charge him with several of the burglaries. The man was on parole for similar crimes.

Quick said Grand Larceny is still up in the precinct, primarily due to credit card fraud and a string of cell phone snatches that have also been happening in the 70th, 72nd, and 78th precincts. However, the perpetrators have recently been apprehended.

Quick said that there will be additional police presence along shopping corridors in the precinct during the holiday season, including 13th Avenue, 8th Avenue, and Church Avenue.

He also announced that the 66th would begin implementing the new Neighborhood Policing program early, which will have two police officers assigned regularly assigned to one of the four geographical areas of the precinct. “This program will help improve police services in the precinct,” said Quick.

The next 66th Precinct Community Council meeting will take place December 17 at 7:30pm at the Community Board 12 office at 5910 13th Avenue.