Crime Prevention Tips From The 61st Precinct

As part of the 61st Precinct’s pledge to increase communication with the community, the precinct has started sending out occasional crime prevention tip bulletins to local stakeholders. The tips focus on preventing common crimes that are trending in the neighborhood to keep residents and their property safe.

Below are the latest tips from the precinct:

There have been complaints filed reporting locker break-ins at the Bally’s Gyms located on Kings Highway and Sheepshead Bay Road.  In each case, the victims left their property consisting of wallets, credit cards, jewelry and cell phones in a locker in the males’ locker room.  The victims then went to workout and upon their return to the locker room, they discovered that their lock was opened and their property was removed.

Customers are encouraged to utilize the small security lockers that are located in the lobby to secure their valuables. Lockers located in locker rooms are not as secure as the smaller security lockers, and are more likely to be broken into.

There has been an instance of an unauthorized debit card skimmer that was installed on an ATM at a bank within the precinct.  As ATM customers swiped their cards into the ATM, the skimmer read the information and relayed the card numbers to an unauthorized person who was then able to make fraudulent purchases using the card information.

ATM users are advised to tug on the card reader to ensure that no unauthorized devices are installed on the machine before they swipe their cards.

The precinct has also learned of an instance in which a card skimmer was installed on the door to the bank, where users must swipe their card to enter. This is a new tactic, and the precinct advises caution when using these devices.