Police Blotter: 79th Pct.

Overall crimes are down 18.4 percent in the 79^th Precinct this month, compared to last year at this time. The biggest decrease is in the number of felony assaults, which have dropped 41.7 percent this month.

However, Deputy Inspector Peter J. Bartoszek says that the greatest decrease overall in the past year is with burglaries, which averaged about 50 a month, when he was first assigned to the 79^th Pct last May. In the last 28 days, only 17 burglaries were reported. Grand larcenies were the only crime reportedly up this month, a 20 percent increase.

Commercial Robbery

On January 12^th at approximately 5:30 pm, two black males, both approximately 5’ 10” and 160 lbs walked into CTI General Hardware Store at 321 Franklin Avenue, displayed a silver gun and demanded cash. The Perpetrators then took an iPhone belonging to the merchant and $600 in cash. Police are still looking for the perpetrators.

Two Shootings in the Tompkins Housing Projects

On January 14^th, at approximately 3:00 pm, police responded to a call of a male shot in the lobby of 85 Tompkins Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Upon arrival, the man, later identified as John Gilliam, 23, of 44 Marcus Garvey Boulevard, was found with gunshot wounds to the torso. Police still are looking for the perpetrator who has been identified as Rashawn Blakes, 30.

On January 16^th, at approximately 10:30 pm, on the 9^th floor of a building at 919 Myrtle Avenue in the Tompkins Houses, two unidentified males repeatedly banged on the door of an apartment building, and then let off several rounds of bullets, eventually striking someone inside of the residence in the foot. Police are still looking for the two suspects.

Cell Phone Robbery

On January 17^th, at approximately 7:30 am, a male was walking to the J Train at Myrtle and Broadway when two black males whose ages are unknown approached the man and forcibly dug in the victim’s pocket, grabbed his Samsung mobile phone, struck him in the face and fled the scene. Detectives later came to the scene, but are still looking for the two suspects.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of any of the persons involved with these crimes is asked to call the New York City Police Department's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their tips to 274637 (crimes) then enter TIP577. All calls are kept strictly confidential