Police: Crime down but concerns remain

Crime rates are falling in Wantagh and Seaford, the leader of the Nassau County Police Department’s 7th Precinct told a group of residents last week.

During a crime forum at the Seaford Public Library hosted by Legislator David Denenberg, Precinct Commander Inspector Joseph Barbieri reviewed statistics for the last sixth months, and engaged residents in a conversation about quality of life issues in the communities.

Barbieri gave statistics from May 1 through Nov. 18, the date of the forum. In Wantagh, there were 13 burglaries during that time, down from 17 in the same period last year. Larcenies fell from 29 to 14.

Robberies and car thefts stayed level in Wantagh, Barbieri reported, and overall minor crime was down. Police did make an arrest in connection with the theft of money from the poor boxes at St. Frances de Chantal Church. He said a suspect was caught committing similar thefts in Glen Cove, and was connected to the Wantagh crime.

Police have not apprehended anyone responsible for two robberies at the BP gas station on Wantagh Avenue earlier this month. In both cases, a robber came in with a gun and demanded money. Barbieri said police believe the same suspect is also responsible for the robbery of a pharmacy in Levittown, but the incidents have stopped.

In Seaford, burglaries fell from 16 in a sixth-month period in 2013 to 10 in the same period in 2014, including three arrests. Grand larcenies dropped from 26 to 21, he reported, and robberies fell from three to zero.

Larcenies from automobiles are up in Seaford, Barbieri said. He urged residents to lock their cars in all circumstances.

“Overall crime, we’ve seen a decrease in the precinct,” he said. The 7th Precinct serves all of Seaford, and most of Wantagh and North Wantagh.

For Halloween, Barbieri said officers from the precinct visited all sex offenders in the area, and reminded them they could neither but up decorations nor hand out candy.

On Halloween, Barbieri said there was some vandalism in the area when a group of teens damaged Halloween decorations in Wantagh. Arrests were made for a similar crime in North Massapequa, but he said police do not know if the two incidents were related.

The heroin epidemic remains a concern, Barbieri said. He noted that it is of particular concern in Massapequa, and said people in need of heroin often are responsible for break-ins, as they are looking for quick cash.

One resident said she is concerned that heroin sales have been taking place at night at Seaman’s Neck Park and Wantagh Park.

Barbieri said all Nassau County Police cars and ambulances are now equipped with Narcan, the heroin overdose antidote. He explained that with heroin at $8 a bag, it is the drug of choice and easier to get than prescription pain killers, which had been the gateway drug for many addicts.

Scams and traffic enforcement

Barbieri also made residents aware of the many phone scams that are taking place. Among the common ones, someone calls and tells the resident their son is in jail and needs bail money, or pretends to be the IRS. Barbieri said many different scams are taking place and urged vigilance. He explained that in most cases, they agency the scammers pretend to be from would never call seeking money.

Barbieri said the amount of money stolen through phone scams each year is “mindboggling” and scammers tend to prey on the elderly. He added that there is little the Police Department can do other than urge caution, because these calls often originate outside of the county, and in many cases, out of the country. “There’s almost nothing I can do to get your money back,” he said.

Police have been targeting certain areas in the precinct for traffic enforcement, Barbieri said. This year alone, more than 200 tickets have been written on Seaman’s Neck Road in Seaford. Officers have also been watching Jackson and Southard avenues.

In Wantagh, police have been in the area of Freeport Street, where there have been reports of drivers running stop signs. In the coming weeks, officers will be in the area of Babylon Street enforcing traffic regulations.

Barbieri said many of the requests for targeted traffic enforcement come from the offices of Denenberg and other county legislators who hear the concerns from their constituents.

Steve Fredericks, of Seaford, asked police to stay vigilant on keeping skateboarders out of the municipal parking lot behind the Seaford Library. He said the problem was bad for a while, but has gotten better. He noted some damaged to fences and overall obnoxious behavior.

Dan Yngstrom, a legislative aide for Denenberg, said that skateboarding can’t be banned because some people do use it as a mode of transportation, but restrictions can be placed on skateboarders using portable equipment such as rails or ramps in the parking lots. He said he would send a letter to the Town of Hempstead, which controls the lot.