Statistics show that northeast Queens leads the city in crime reduction, but that isn’t good enough for the crime prevention officers in the 109th Precinct in Flushing.
“We’ve noticed a pattern recently,” said Police Officer O’Donnell, one of the community affairs officers at the 109th, “and we want to alert people.”
It seems that more people, especially women, are having their wallets stolen while they are in local shopping centers, and police are virtually powerless to stop it.
“People think that because this is a nice area, crime can’t happen here,” O’Donnell said, adding, “These are crimes of opportunity and it’s up to the public to deny the opportunity to the criminals.”
The theft opportunities fall into three basic types: shelf, cart and car.
O’Donnell explained that there’s a variant on the parking-lot thievery, where an accomplice will distract the victim, by asking directions, or telling them about a flat tire.
He related that there have also been reports of people leaving a bag, or even their wallets, on the front seat of their car to go shopping, and find them missing when they return - sometimes they have a broken window by which to remember the occasion.
“They always say the same thing, ‘I only turned my back for a minute’” O’Donnell recounted, with a shake of his head.
He stressed that it only takes one or two seconds for a cool, experienced thief to reach into an open bag, pocket the victim’s wallet and be on their way.
“It’s simple,” O’Donnell said. “Women should keep their handbags zipped or buckled shut. Bags should be kept on one’s person, and if you do absolutely have to put your bag down, it should be in front of you - where you can see it.”
Police are meeting with the owners of shopping centers, to convince then to improve security, but as O’Donnell stresses, the best form of security is awareness.
“Cameras and security guards can’t begin to cover entire stores or parking lots,” O’Donnell cautioned. “You can’t go around making it so easy for them to rob you.”
