Police: No Known Gang Activity In Bensonhurst, Graffiti ‘Raises A Concern’

Despite recent sightings of graffiti associated with two notorious Central American gangs, there appears to be no organized crime in Bensonhurst or Bath Beach, according to police authorities.

As we reported last week, tags related to the ruthless Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Sureños (SUR 13) have been spotted all over New Utrecht Avenue. The 62nd Precinct’s newly assigned Captain Anthony Sanseverino told Bensonhurst Bean today that police are looking into those incidents.

“There hasn’t been any organized gang structures in the area, however, when you see tags and you see graffiti that reference things, it raises a concern and we are looking to interview anyone who might have information,” said Sanseverino.

To recognize gang activity, cops typically look for identifiers in suspects that are brought into the station like gang-colored clothing or tattoos, but so few have been reported in Bensonhurst that the NYPD’s Gang Unit is not even deployed in the neighborhood, according to the NYPD captain.

Still, Sanseverino added, “Being that I’ve been recently assigned here, I want to take a fresh look.”

Spiritual leaders we spoke to from Bensonhurst’s Central American community also expressed skepticism that there is a significant MS-13 or SUR 13 presence in the neighborhood. Reverend Erick Salgado, a pastor at the Evangelical church Jóvenes Cristianos (8750 17th Avenue) — which serves as a meeting place for Bath Beach’s fast-growing Guatemalan population — said he hasn’t heard of Central American gangs in the neighborhood in 15 years.

“We dealt with it before. There was a big gang of people from Central America [in 2000], but when we opened the church, most of them joined,” said Salgado. Even then, he added, the “gang” was simply a group of immigrant men from the same town in Guatemala — hardly a blood-thirsty, transnational crime operation like MS-13.

Salgado also noted that MS-13 is a Salvadorian gang, and that the majority of Bensonhurst’s Central American population is Guatemalan or Mexican.

“Salvadorians are not around this area, and Guatemalan people are very peaceful,” he said.

In the meantime, the 62nd Precinct’s graffiti coordinator will continue to gather intelligence and work with the community to identify graffiti recidivists. The precinct currently offers a $500 reward for information leading to graffiti-related arrest.

“My biggest responsibility is that the community feels safe,” said Sanseverino. “If people have concerns, we are here.”

Those with information related to graffiti or gang activity are asked to call the NYPD’s 62nd Precinct at (718) 236-2611.