Enough With the Marauding Teenagers!
A couple of months ago as we were walking East on Greene Avenue between Waverly and Washington we noticed in our peripheral vision someone approaching fast from behind. When we spun around, it was a teenage boy, probably about 15 years old, who had crept up and was hovering inches from the back of our…
A couple of months ago as we were walking East on Greene Avenue between Waverly and Washington we noticed in our peripheral vision someone approaching fast from behind. When we spun around, it was a teenage boy, probably about 15 years old, who had crept up and was hovering inches from the back of our head mocking us provocatively to the clear delight of his jeering friends. Ever risk-averse, we quickly walked out into the middle of the street and starting dialing on our cell phone. With a few shouts, the pack continued down the block. We jogged back to a police car we had noticed parked back on Vanderbilt, told the cops what had happened and went home. The next day we heard that a woman had been mugged half an hour later a few blocks from there by a bunch of teenagers. We’ve heard of several similar instances in the area in recent weeks. And it’s not just Clinton Hill. A post on Brooklynian describes how a trio of teenage girls (19, 17 and 12) mugged five different people in Prospect Heights on Saturday night (and how only one of them decided to press charges) and an email we received yesterday told of a violent mugging of a twenty-something male by a group of boys at around 8:15 Monday night at Dekalb and South Oxford Street in Fort Greene (above). What can the community do to combat this activity? Obviously greater police presence would help, but given the paltry resources the NYPD devotes to this part of town, it’s going to take a lot of vigilance on the part of residents in terms of reporting even small incidents of harassment and pressing charges. And everyone should be aware that a lot of these muggings are happening during daylight hours, often between the end of school and dinner time, so it’s a good idea to minimize iPod and cell phone usage during those times. Please use this comment thread to document other similar incidents that you know about in recent months as well as to suggest ways to address the problem.
This the first time I have ever posted in Brownstoner, but I have to put my two cents in.
I am a fifty something lifelong resident of Brooklyn and Manhattan and have never been robbed, mugged,assaulted or harrassed in my life. Why? Becase I don’t carry myself as a victim. Street punks look for the easy target, if you look like one the chances are greater you will be.
Keep aware of your surroundings. If some one approaching you looks like they may be a problem look at them squarely for a moment, don’t stare and don’t smile. Both can be invitations into your space. Don’t quicken the pace of your walk for it indicates fear, and that gives them the feeling of power they seek. Look like authority and/or strength. Look like you will and can fight back. Talk street if you have to talk at all.
If you decide to cross the street, look like you are doing it because you have to to get where you are going and keep your eyes on them as you do.
Remember, punks look for the easy mark if you don’t come as one you won’t be
9:57,
You give a good example of the community stepping up to protect one of its members.
You also did the logical thing.
Logical behavior and community action are two ways of handling this problem.
Equally important is concerted effort by the larger politic.
Step up and decry the Housing Authority’s plan to close hundreds of community centers across the city. It’s bad for kids, families, and everybody else. Lobby your council members and state reps, phone the mayor and governor.
Stop the DCHA from this action, otherwise it’s going to be a long hot summer.
P.S. Be sure to stop by that barbershop now and then to say hello. Build those community bonds!
If stuff like this is going on it daylight on the streets and the cops can’t stop it then the neighborhood is clearly tolerating it.
*Someone* knows who these kids are and where they live and who their families are. And others are seeing and hearing things and pretending they aren’t happening.
You need people on the streets who can and will intervene. If not cops, it must be neighbors.
Otherwise, there is always Jersey and Long Island…
Putnamdenizen I never agree with you but, your statement makes sense. Teenage minds have plenty of thing going on puberty, peer pressure and dealing with growing up.
The What
Someday this war is gonna end..
10:11 has hit the nail on the head, as were the comments about not knowing whether they are carrying knives, boxcutters or guns.
As long as you carry yourself with some sense of awareness of your surroundings and not off in some txting mode or iPod world you are far less likely to become a target.
Actually anyone 16 and older is tried as an adult in New York State, 10:23. But that wasn’t really your point, was it? You just wanted to call Black kids “monkeys” didn’t you? Classy…
“soy frailty”
brilliant
I’ve lived in Brooklyn (Park Slope) since 1992 and have never been mugged. I even walk around with an iPod (not, obviously, since 1992). I always try to be aware of my surroundings, but it doesn’t mean you have to “walk around in a paranoid state.”
I know this is just my anecdotal experience and doesn’t prove anything, but as long as everyone else is sharing theirs…
Have you seen the new people walking Brooklyn these days? 5’9 140 lbs of soy frailty. I’m not condoning those kids actions but you have to realize that the new brooklynites are like fresh meat in a shark tank.