The Monthly Police Report: Crime Takes a Dip

Crime in the First Precinct took a seven percent dip between mid June and July 15, according to police statistics, though there was an increase in commercial burglaries.

“Overall the crime is going down and we’ve added extra patrol and made some good arrests,” said precinct leaders at a police community meeting on July 20.

Precinct officers made 725 arrests between June 15 and July 15, and  45 were for commercial burglaries. There were 680 arrests in the previous month’s time period of May 15 to June 15.

The precinct has boosted its COPE patrol by adding three officers to the unit.

There were a half dozen shootings in the precinct, a big drop from past months that saw two dozen in the same time frame, noted police.

During the community meeting, which was attended by just over a dozen community members and activists, police provided insight on criminal incidents and police investigations in and around Babylon Village and West Babylon.

• The precinct’s first homicide took place July 5 when a 23-year-old West Babylon man was shot dead on Fulton Street. The homicide unit is continuing its investigation.

• Police are also continuing the investigation of the robbery at Capitol One Bank Babylon Village on Little East Neck Road on July 16. It was the second time the bank was hit this year.

• On June 16, at 3:30 a.m., police responded to a stolen property call on 14th Street and 8th Avenue in West Babylon. After canvassing the area police made two arrests later in the day.

• Police arrested a West Babylon resident on June 16 for violating an order of protection issued for alleged menacing. Upon arriving at the scene police found the suspect had barricaded himself in the home on Gordon Street and was supposedly armed. Police made the arrest and no weapon was found on the premises.

• On June 17, a 22-year-old pedestrian was hit by a car on Montauk Highway in West Babylon at 10:30 p.m. Police made an arrest in the case a week later, on June 24.

• A dispute over a $1 taxi tip led to the stabbing of a cab driver at a local diner early this month, and the ensuing police investigation led to an arrest on July 17. During the arrest several police officers suffered injuries as the suspect resisted arrest and head butted one officer despite being hit with a taser gun. The alleged assailant is facing eight criminal counts including assault, aggravated harassment and violating parole.

Here is a breakdown of residential and commercial burglaries in local communities:

Resident Burglaries:

West Babylon: 8

Babylon Village: 1

Lindenhurst: 1

North Lindenhurst: 5

Commercial Burglaries:

Babylon Village: 1

Lindenhurst: 1

West Babylon: 2

Stolen Cars:

Babylon Village: 4

West Babylon: 2

North Lindenhurst: 1

Robberies:

West Babylon: 6

Lindenhurst: 1

North Lindenhurst: 1

There were 510 motor vehicle accidents in the precinct, 80 involving injuries and two fatalities.

Police are warning residents of a Craigslist-based scam involving car sales. Listings instruct buyers to wire money ahead of car being provided. In another scam a female was lured to a local destination to inspect a car for sale and was robbed of several thousand dollars, said police.

In precinct staffing news, Lt. Thomas Kelly officially retired this month after 32 years with the Suffolk County Police Department. First Precinct commanders described his leaving as a “tremendous loss” for the precinct and the community and wished him a healthy and happy retirement.

The next police community meeting will be held August 17 at 7 p.m. at the precinct on Route 109.