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August 12, 2009

Despite Brutal Assault, Crime Down in 88th

lexandgrand_081209.jpg
The recent assault on a Pratt Student at Grand and Lexington has shaken many of our nerves—as have other recent crimes—which is why The Local, a New York Times blog, reminds us that crime in the 88th Precinct (Fort Greene and Clinton Hill) is still decreasing. According to the NYPD's crime statistics, even assault is down by 6 percent from this time last year. The message we're supposed to get is that, while these recent crimes are certainly disturbing, they do not necessarily indicate that the neighborhood is going to seed. Update: The Local points to an ABC News story reporting that one of the teens has been arrested.
The Week in Crime: Crime's Down. Really. [The Local/ NYT]
Pratt Student Still in Coma [NY Daily News]
Photo by lesterhead




Posted by jscheff at 10:15 AM | Comments (16)
Categories: Clinton Hill, Crime, Fort Greene

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Comments

Every hood has some crime but this is just lawlessness. How the hell do a bunch of juveniles walk around with a crobar? A gun or a knife they can conceal but a crobar? Then they just roam into a bodega not even caring about video cameras? Crazy!

Posted by: brickoven at August 12, 2009 10:45 AM

Exactly BO....I truly hope the find these guys,this was a senseless crime. Whether crime is decreasing in Clinton Hill and Fort Green this is still scary.I have driven past certain blocks in Fort Green and Clinton Hill at night and yes the blocks are beautiful but it seems pretty scary walking around certain parts at night you never know who is lurking around.

Posted by: mysideofstuy at August 12, 2009 12:22 PM

Grand Avenue is a conduit for crime and gang members. You drive down from the BQE, if needed you mug someone, and it used to be you sold the gold/jewelry at the shop on Putnam and Fulton for some quick cash (he just closed), walk over to the front of Putnam Deli or 1000 Fulton to score your drugs, grab a girl and drive around the corner Lefferts to get a room at the formerly "by the hour" Lefferts Hotel. That guy who owns that is a real charmer who has done his best to destroy this community over the years. And then when you're high and serviced you head on back up to the BQE. Or you pull over for a "car date". It's been going on for probably decades I assume. Apparently now with the middle man gone you just trade your gold for drugs straight up.

Usually it's the same gang members who deal during throughout night that go around looking for things to do to people. That corner by Lexington is particularly bad because it leads down from major gang areas on Lexington. If you drive down Lexington from Nostrand there is tagging everywhere.

Posted by: brokestone at August 12, 2009 12:45 PM

I used to park my car on lexington and grand. Some punk teenage kids tried messing with me one night. Luckily, nothing happened. But I stopped parking there aftrwards.
I do hope they catch this lot, but have a hunch they wont ever.

Posted by: E_Minor at August 12, 2009 12:49 PM

Good news that crime is down overall. But I keep hearing about these assaults where five or six guys will beat someone unconscious. Not just in Clinton Hill but also Bushwick. Why? If you want someone's money, you don't have to knock them out. The DA should really make an effort to go after these kinds of crimes, maybe the punishment should be as severe as with a gun, they should go all out to find these guys like they did the for the killers of Jose Sucuzhanay (though that was a different kind of attack). And maybe they should try to find out why people are doing this -- a little anthropology.

Posted by: mopar at August 12, 2009 12:56 PM

Arrest was just made in this case:

http://fort-greene.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/arrest-in-sanchez-assault/#comments

Posted by: Stiggaman at August 12, 2009 12:58 PM

they need a dose of old-fashioned brooklyn street justice, rather than clogging the courts.

Posted by: goldie at August 12, 2009 1:07 PM

Thanks for the update, stiggaman.

Posted by: serpentor at August 12, 2009 1:23 PM

damn, i stand corrected....they caught one of them.

the main thing I worry about when walking around the neighbourhood at nite are groups of teenagers just looking for kicks.

Posted by: E_Minor at August 12, 2009 1:53 PM

mopar, they do it because of the wolf pack mentality, each has to be 'harder' than his friend so they can brag about it.

When cases like this make the media, the cops do go all out. They already caught one, they'll turn him quick, plus they have face pix. You'll see them all in custody by the end of next week if not sooner. And at least one of them will be accused of attempted murder. They'll all do a lot of time, no behind the scenes plea on this one like most cases.

Stupid, five kids lost, plus one bright kid who may or may never be what he was before.

Posted by: denton at August 12, 2009 3:00 PM

I wouldn't trust the police stats on crime rates- especially when used to allay fears after an attack as vicious as this one.

As to "five lives lost," I cannot disagree more strongly. When you pick up a crowbar and bash someone into a coma, you get no sympathy from me. One life almost taken, that I'll agree.

Posted by: orestes at August 12, 2009 3:47 PM

Damage control.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at August 12, 2009 5:34 PM

Mysideofstuy,

"I have driven past certain blocks in Fort Green and Clinton Hill at night and yes the blocks are beautiful but it seems pretty scary walking around certain parts at night you never know who is lurking around."


Have you only driven through? Look, I've been nervous walking on the street at night (in many different cities in the world and US and many places in the Big Apple)...and I've even been mugged. But please be reasonable. "Seeming scary" is part of the problem...a loaded problem. The idea of danger of bodily harm is powerful in the human psyche and a grand motivator.

Fortunately, a quiet street with no apparent pedestrians at night does not equal danger lurking behind every lamppost.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at August 12, 2009 6:21 PM

Denton, thanks.


Posted by: mopar at August 13, 2009 10:55 PM

I just found out from my next door neighbor that there was a forced entry robbery on my block (Cambridge Place between Greene and Gates) late Friday night/early Saturday morning. The perp allegedly followed someone into their vestibule as they were unlocking the front door, pulled a knife, forced their way into the apartment and stole a few laptops. Will post more details if I find more info.

Posted by: BethRobyn at October 5, 2009 9:49 PM

Here's a link to Brooklyn Paper with the facts of the robbery on Cambridge place. The perp pulled a gun, not a knife. It happened at 9:30 pm on October 2nd.

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/32/40/32_40_sj_88_blot.html

Posted by: BethRobyn at October 6, 2009 1:09 AM

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