I’ve gotten a couple of emails about crime in different parts of the neighborhood:
Email #1
Hello, I’m a frequent reader of Bed-Stuy Blog and I live in the neighborhood. I just wanted to let you and the other folks who are in the neighborhood know that I was attacked and mugged last night after getting off the Kingston Throop stop by about 5 people. I’m not sure if this is something that has been occurring as of late or is about to start occurring however I wanted to let the readers know to be on the lookout.
Muggings at the nearby Utica stop inspired a group of men to start a program in which they escort people home from the train station. It could be that the muggers have been forced to move their operations to the Kingston Throop stop.
Email #2
My husband’s car was broken into last night on Lewis Ave. (near Halsey). My neighbor’s car was broken into on Sunday night on the same street.
In both cases the windows were smashed and the thieves took whatever they deemed valuable (GPS devices, handheld games, cash, wallets). Both incidents took place around 7 PM. These bold criminals are breaking into cars before dark!
We called the police to take a report. The officers informed us they routinely answer calls like this throughout the neighborhood. Why there is no increased patrol presence is beyond me.
Just thought it would be something for the blog readers to be aware of. If they see people acting suspiciously around cars, call the cops. If you hear car alarms, don’t assume it’s a false alarm. Someone may be breaking into your vehicle!
Who leaves cash and a wallet in a car? Sheesh, years ago when I lived in North Carolina I didn’t leave anything of value in my car–even if I were leaving it in a suburban mall parking lot! I agree that people should really pay attention to car alarms, and for those of you who have cars don’t leave ANYTHING in them.
I’m sorry to hear about what happened to you. It’s very traumatizing. My husband and I will soon be moving to your area and your subway stop will be ours. I’m wondering at what time you were attacked to know if this is happening during daylight/early evening or late at night. Thanks.
Oh please. Our car used to get broken into at least several times a year, when we lived on “a very good block” in Fort Greene, but not here (knock wood). Did we worry that the neighborhood was becoming unsafe (again) when our friends got mugged at gunpoint on the corner of Dekalb + South Portland? No. It’s NYC.
My point is that this is not a story. A sidebar, maybe. Every neighborhood that I’ve lived in in NYC and Brooklyn has car break-ins + muggings. Check out the NY Times Local Blog on FG + CH sometime. The weekly police blotter is chock full of unsavory behavior to say the least! Jumping to the conclusion that this neighborhood is more unsafe than others only feeds into an outdated stereotype that is frankly untrue, from my experience. Also, asking the cops their opinion on crime will always produce a negative response!
Hi C:
First of all, great blog! Thanks for keeping it going.
And just to add to the list, I got robbed on Chauncey, across from the park, near the corner of Lewis a couple of weeks ago. 11 PM on a rainy night, I made the mistake of using my cell phone and not paying attention to my surroundings. Two guys accosted me, demanded “everything,” grabbed my phone and shoulder bag, and ran. I was actually surprised they didn’t go for my pockets, but they seemed very jittery and inexperienced at this particular line of work. Very mild as these things go (though expensive), but could have been a lot worse if I’d been female or a physically smaller or older person. We don’t need a climate of fear in our neighborhood–I still feel it’s a solid one by NY standards, and more so all the time–but as long as this is New York we all need to stay conscious of what’s going on around us on the street, and look out for ourselves and each other.
Thanks again,
DC
Yikes.
I recently moved to NYC from London , Uk. I’m thinking of moving to Bed-stuy on Madison and Throop. I lived in Hackney in london for 10 years this area had a real bad reputation as one of the worst area to live in the Uk due to crime and standard of living. My feeling was this was just a stereotypes. I loved my time living there and the people I met.
My question is, will I feel the same in Bed-stuy? is it too struggling to get rid of a dated reputation or is it still a dangerous area to live. I’m white my wife is mix race does this matter? I’ve been reading a lot of blogs on bed-stuy and it seems that every comment however mundane turns into a race issue. As I said I’m new to the states, in the UK race is not every really the issue we don’t have separated areas of black, white, etc it more an issue of being poor or wealthy that devides communities. Basically is me being a white English guy going to be a problem.
I really want to move to bed-stuy, it feel positive and has energy.
GPS devices, handheld games, cash, wallets??? Are you kidding me? Do yourself a favor and move back to wherever it is you came from. I’m sorry I’m not sympathetic, but people like this might as well put a sign on them saying “Victim. Come and get it.”
Yes this is a great blog keep it going.On the car break in never leave any thing of worth in your car and most def not in plain site this is a invitation to break into you car .Also do no leave you blinds in your house open so people can also see you belongings this is another invite which i just do not UNDERSTAND
@Charlie England: My wife and I has been living around Halsey and Malcolm X for about a year now. I am scandinavian and stick out a bit, but I have never had any problems for that reason. It’s been pretty much the opposite. We have been treated really well and love it here.
As for security, we feel safe. But we do take some precautions like taking a car service home if it gets too late at night, and obviously not displaying phones etc… We lived in Cobble Hill previously and there were plenty of car break-ins, and a purse snatching happened right in front of us, so I think these things happens pretty much regardless of your neighborhoods reputation.
Over the last few years I have felt safer and safer on my walk home from the Utica Stop. In general there are a lot of people leaving the subway at all hours and I feel when there are a lot of people around, crime is less likely to happen. While I am saddened to hear about the crimes listed above, I do think the area around the Utica Aveneue Stop (at least going north) is pretty safe. That being said, it is important to look around. I decide whether I will walk through fulton park or walk around it depending on who I see around and whether I am walking with others who have just left the subway. Don’t be afraid to cross the street to avoid situations that make you feel uncomfortable. Chances are, if you feel uncomfortable, there’s a reason.
I agree that keeping valuables like wallets and video game consoles in your car is an alarmingly thoughtless thing to do in any urban area. However, a crime is a crime and it’s no one’s fault but the criminals’.
That being said: I’ve lived on MacDonough near Ralph for nearly four years now and I agree with MaconStreetMan: I’ve felt safer and safer using both the Utica stop and the Ralph stop as time has gone on. And that’s not just because I’m getting used to the neighborhood or something like that because two summers ago I was jumped and mugged by a group of about 5 teenagers two blocks from my house. It was 10pm. On a Tuesday. That happened a month after my cell phone was grabbed out of my hand as I was talking on it in Williamsburg. It’s only recently that the fear I feel walking down the street manifests itself as mostly vigilance rather than vulnerability.
I feel as comfortable as I do living here because, time after time, the people and character of this neighborhood have shown to be something worth associating myself with. And it’s only getting better, slowly but surely.
two words.
NEIGHBORHOOD-WATCH!
(also another; Education)
one person can’t do it by himself.
Early last year, a group of guys attempted to rob me after I left the Utica Avenue train station and walked toward Stuyvesant. I say attempted because once I saw them coming toward me, I ran into the middle of the street and stood just out of the way of oncoming traffic. If they were going to rob me, there was going to be LOTS of witnesses.
They got the message and backed off.
*There WERE going to be lots of witnesses.
Staying aware no matter where you are at is important keep one head phone on and one off your ear not just to be aware of surroundings but also because you can walk into the street and get hit by a car.
@Charlie England — my husband is a white English guy and hasn’t had any issues. Although one of our neighbors was a bit disturbed by the St George flag hanging off our roof (we moved in just before the 2006 World Cup) but was reassured when told it wasn’t a weird religious thing.
My car was broken into on Sunday on Putnam and Stuyvesant. It happen around 9:30 am. They stole my wallet and started using my bank cards at the train station located on Utica and Fulton to purchase Metro Cards .I just wanted to inform the rest of the neighborhood that this is happening very frequently so just be careful and aware of your surrounding.
I got out at the Kingston-Throop stop late Saturday evening (around 1:30) and noticed a patrol officer and a couple of plain clothes w/ vests standing right by the entrance. I also noticed a few arrests of folks (looked like teenagers) jumping the turnstile in the station by undercovers who were on patrol a few weeks ago. Perhaps they are responding to the concerns of this stop and beefing up their presence.