Mail Fishing Continues, And Here’s What Police are Doing About It

Residents living within the 52nd Precinct are on alert as the “mail fishing” trend continues despite police efforts to crack down on so-called “fishers.” Mail fishing involves perpetrators using shoestring and a bottle covered in glue (oftentimes a sticky mouse trap) to insert it into a drop-off mailbox and snag mail the glue comes in contact with. It’s a quick crime that allows thieves to walk away with mail holding checks or gift cards. In most cases, rent checks have been fished out of boxes, putting residents behind. Over the year, mail theft has increased within the 52nd Precinct, which

Friends of Mosholu Parkland, the civic group boasting and promoting the verdant dale of Mosholu Parkland, held its first annual Fall Festival (not to be confused with Jerome-Gun HIll Business Improvement District’s event of the same name). The group headed to Kossuth Playground on Mosholu Parkway North, for the daytime soiree. It was all fun and games, really, with the group hosting games, planting dafodils and hearing the musical stylings of Steve Oates. Pictures by Miriam Quinones [URIS id=21919]

Hate Crime Suspects Sought for Attack in Fordham

By DAVID CRUZ

Three suspects are on the run and wanted by police for yelling anti-Islam slurs at a Muslim man and his mother in Fordham last month. The suspects, two men and one woman, were riding in a Toyota Camry with gold license plates reserved for taxis when one of the suspects began screaming at the victims, police say. One of the victims confronted one of the suspects but was then attacked by the driver and one of the passengers. The suspects fled the scene while the victim was rushed to Jacobi Medical Center and treated for injuries. The suspects, caught on video

Police are hoping to find a missing 76-year-old man who suffers from dementia. Angelo Pagan was last seen Oct. 3 around 7 p.m. at the corner of Mosholu Parkway and Jerome Avenue in Norwood. He’s described as a Hispanic male who may require help returning home. He’s described as 5’4”, weighs 100 pounds, has brown eyes, grey hair in a short afro style, a dark complexion, and a tattoo on his leg. He speaks both English and Spanish. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a blue jacket, and black FILA sneakers with white markings. He is not enrolled in the MedicAlert

By DAVID CRUZ & DAVID GREENE

For the second time in as many weeks a pair of bandits has broken into the GNC store in Norwood. Police and onlookers were stunned to learn the intruders were of the 4-legged kind. And the pesky, masked-covered raccoons, commonly spotted in more suburban settings, have already made themselves at home just one block north of the vitamin shop, becoming unruly neighbors. Police were called to the vitamin supplement shop at 3453 Jerome Ave. at 9 a.m. on Sept. 29, for an “animal incident,” involving the raccoons. A dispatcher quickly reported it had “one in custody,” shortly after the furry fiends slipped into

By DAVID CRUZ

What does Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue and the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue have in common? They’re both considered great streets. Bronx residents will tell you they already knew that, but not the American Planning Association (APA). Until now. The 38-year urban planning nonprofit group officially named the busy Belmont strip known as Little Italy one of America’s “Great Streets,” a distinction that helps slowly chip away the nagging image of a Bronx in blight. It’s the first such distinction for the borough. “This is a big deal,” Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. said at a news conference announcing the honor. Diaz’s

By CATHERINE CLARKE

Community-based groups in the northwest Bronx care for their senior citizens! Significant local efforts to assist low-income seniors include the creation of new affordable housing for seniors, the promotion of city programs to keep rents affordable to seniors and a wide array of health, social and recreational services offered by religious institutions, community groups and senior centers. Affordable, safe and decent housing remains an urgent need for all Bronx residents, and more so for seniors who have limited incomes and often growing physical needs in terms of accessibility and safety. New York City recently increased the income limits for its

The polished décor of Nicky’s Coffee Shop now has an exterior to match, with a vibrant new awning on the corner of Bainbridge Avenue and 206th Street. “The sign was just old looking, but it’s been the only change,” said Nicky Manias, owner of the restaurant for more than 31 years. “Since we rebuilt from the fire, everything inside is still brand new.” In September of 2012 a fire forced the diner to close its doors for 6 months, while repairs took place. The Manias family also used this time to revive the restaurant’s interior adding new lights, wood detailing,

The Neighborhood Coordination Officer Program, which assigns officers to a specific sector instead of having them respond to one police call after another, has settled into the 52nd Precinct. These officers are embedded into the communities, serving as a familiar face for the NYPD. Each officer is equipped with an NYPD-issued phone intended to call them when a nagging issue arises. Each precinct taking part in the NCO program is now divided into four sectors: A, B, C, and D as indicated on the map to the left. Below is a list of each sector, the neighborhoods they cover, and