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Although we pointed out that the Seba Avenue is just senseless vandalism and not some bias incident. After a bit of research it turns out that Etching, painting, drawing or placing a swastika on public or private property without permission, along with cross-burning, are considered felonies punishable by up to four years in prison. Really? Yes really! On top of that, the police have been issuing “a few” summonses to people in the park after “closing”.
This was going to be a post straight up about how the missing benches that were uprooted were found. GerritsenBeach.net got word early last week that they were located but due to inclimate weather we had not gotten a chance to get up there to confirm and take some pictures. Shortly thereafter Parks manager Alex Mezzatesta located them and spread the word that he found a “3 foot by 3 foot” swastika on a bench. Sparking the NY Post to put up yet another GB bias incident in their blotter. Here is what they said:
Shenanigans! After now two trips to these missing benches and looking at all of the benches in the park it is apparent that there is currently no and never was a 3 foot square swastika is anywhere. Where would you even fit a 3 foot swastika!? However, to be fair there was a 2-inch swastika on a single plank of one bench. It must of shrunk in the cold (Zing!). If you think about who is taking these benches and what they are being used for. You are talking about an adolescent group. Do you really think that age group has any idea what that symbol means or represents? Of course not. They don’t even really understand 9-11. What the REAL story is… That the benches were taken from their locations and used as benches for “parties” in clearings in the weeds. The typical jungle juice/keg parties that have been around since the year of the flood. We are as appalled by the the thought a of a swastika regardless of size but to exaggerate the size for whatever purpose is wrong. Why would the parks department feel its necessary to exaggerate the size. You decide!
The Plumb Beach Belt Parkway Rest Stop is no longer being locked on a regular 7 day a week basis. More often than not the Plumb Beach Rest Stop isn’t locked up at closing allowing it to be populated at the early morning hours. It only took 2 and a half years for the police to start forgetting why they need to lock up the Plumb Beach rest stop. The rest stop is infamous for the October 2006, Michael J. Sandy hate crime death. Where local teens Anthony Fortunato, 20, John Fox, 19, Ilya Shurov, 20, and Gary Timmons, 17, robbed and then caused Sandy’s death when he was struck by a car. They were all charged with Manslaughter, Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree, and Attempted Robbery in the First Degree, all counts were hate crimes. Three of the four were sentenced Anthony Fortunato (21), 7 to 21 years, John Fox (20), 13 to 21 years, Ilya Shurov (21), 17 1/2 years The 61st precinct had assumed responsibility for the nightly lockup since that crime. Technically, they didn’t have to since the rest stop is the Parks Department responsibility. Parks either due to lack of man power or stupidity never locks up this rest stop. Now, the 61st is no longer guaranteeing a constant nightly lockup. Amazing. The Background:
For a good amount of time (1-2 hours) one of the nypd aviation unit helicopters, were chasing multiple dirtbikes up and down back weeds. As well as multiple police cars flying up and down gerritsen avenue. This afternoon happened to be crowded on the Avenue and there were about three baseball games who were constantly being buzzed by the chopper No word on arrest, but some or all of the dirtbikes were seen being taken away, by police.
The equipment stolen includes: Weed Wackers, a speaker system, other maintenance tools..etc. Totaling a few thousand dollars. If anyone knows where these tools are or who actually perpetuated the crime please call the 63rd Precinct as soon as possible. If you can volunteer or can donate new ones, call GBCares at 718-648-3745. You could always call GBCares if you know who stole these items, so they could be beaten talked to.
Property Owners Meeting Roundup: Gerritsen Beach has had a rough past few weeks, and who knows if it’s over yet. As a community we’ve had 4 arsons in the past couple of weeks! Usually you don’t get that in a month. All of the fires including: Seba Avenue Park, all of the Weed Fires, and the House on Gerritsen Avenue are all being investigated as arson. Seba Avenue Park has been a tipping point of in all of this fire related crime. Everyone is mad as hell and demanding heads (arrests). The police are investigating, fire marshals are investigating, and our councilman Lew Filder is “pissed off” demanding swift arrests for the fire at the park. He wants more fire marshals to come in and to investigate Seba Avenue Park. He compared what’s going on now to Bushwick in the 60′s and 70′s. Councilmen Filder should be “pissed” after all it was his money that built our park. He will hopefully keep the pressure on for arrests and pressure a swift repair. Lew Fidler who didn’t actually see the damage to the park said it could cost as much as a million dollars to fix. I hope that number is wrong, but if that’s the case, we will not get our park fixed. Even if we did that money will be coming out of somewhere, maybe the “Phase 2″ money which was supposed to give us bathrooms at the park. The 61st Precinct said that the fires are completely out of line and that they are only hurting the community. They continued, that if they know Gerritsen Beach, someone knows who did it, someone saw who did it, someone knows something. They have faith that someone will SOON come forward with information. It sounds like if this person is caught, the culprit will be coining the term “to the fullest extent of the law”. Paintballers: Well not to be overshadowed, by the fires, or the ATV’s from last month, this month 7 paintballers showed up to the most recent property owners meeting to say their peace and to see what could be done to help them. Apparently, they were very polite, well spoken, quiet, didn’t threaten anyone, and impressed a lot of people. It will be looked into what can be done to help them. Lew Filder, said that he did not know enough about paintball, the parkland use, and would have to look into it. The paintballers are holding onto hope that they may have a chance to get something done. If you know something say something, call the 61st, tell a parent, enough is enough with all of this crap.
Via The Bay News
Seba Avenue skate park has been fixed up, but for how long? It looks as though on or around Thursday, July 24th, Seba Avenue Park was cleaned up by the Parks Department. Litter was removed and the graffiti was covered. That’s it. Thanks. According to local skaters the park is falling apart. They absolutely hate the broken glass everywhere and usually clean it up themselves. The park has other problems, like major flooding and the “quarter bowl” (showed above) is slowly chipping away. The skaters also said they did everything they could possibly do with tricks in a month. They also seem pretty annoyed that they only got half a skate park.
The 63rd precinct Night Out Against Crime! All of the area’s local civic groups were there including: Bergen Beach Civic, Fraser Civic, Mill Basin Civic, and Flatlands Civic. There were rides from advark amusements, a huge spread of food, as well as pizza from La Villa, and Lenny and Johns. There was supposed to be a parade around the block with all of the groups involved led by the Gerritsen Beach Marching Band, but the band was waiting for the groups to line up. Since no one did, they left without the 6 groups. The “25th Annual National Night Out” (NNO), a unique crime/drug prevention event sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW). Last year’s National Night Out campaign involved citizens, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, businesses, neighborhood organizations and local officials from over 10,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases worldwide. In all, over 35 million people participated in National Night Out 2007. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT is designed to:
Since May, cops have been encouraging residents to report on anyone dabbling in illegal fireworks. Currently, cops have the authority to close businesses and confiscate cars if fireworks are found inside them, officials said. Last year, the NYPD were seizing the cars of people who travel out of state to get their Fourth of July fireworks by staking out Pennsylvania vendors. A $1,000 reward is being posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction of anyone found possessing or distributing fireworks. Anyone who knows someone storing or selling fireworks can contact 311. Those witnessing fireworks being set off can call 911. |
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