Armed Robbery in Jackson Heights

[Maple]

It's not just a couple of bucks to take a cab. It costs $2.50 just to get into a cab, plus the night surcharge and NYS tax add another dollar. The ride from downtown invariably costs at least $20 to Jackson Heights, and that's before a tip. So coming home at night one needs to weigh the cost of a cab against a likely 1 1/2 hour subway ride, since the trains run maybe every 20 minutes, and there's often construction disrupting the usual route. So yeah, you leave the performance or party or bar or place of employment at 1 or 1:30 am, take the subway, and don't get home until 3.

What we need are safe streets-- which fortunately, most of the time we do have. And when we don't, we do need to jump up and down about it. I'm glad at least one of the perps was caught.

[madalyn]

It's not just a couple of bucks to take a cab. It costs $2.50 just to get into a cab, plus the night surcharge and NYS tax add another dollar. The ride from downtown invariably costs at least $20 to Jackson Heights, and that's before a tip. So coming home at night one needs to weigh the cost of a cab against a likely 1 1/2 hour subway ride, since the trains run maybe every 20 minutes, and there's often construction disrupting the usual route. So yeah, you leave the performance or party or bar or place of employment at 1 or 1:30 am, take the subway, and don't get home until 3.

What we need are safe streets-- which fortunately, most of the time we do have. And when we don't, we do need to jump up and down about it. I'm glad at least one of the perps was caught.

I think people were talking about taking car service from the train station in Jackson Heights.

[Ed]

How do you know which night you're going to be mugged so that you know to get a cab/car service? Because if you're spending money EVERY time you come home late, that's a lot of $8 trips from 74th to my building. And if you're not going to be mugged, that's kind of a waste. Maybe you have money to throw around, I don't.

I'm a musician and I come home late a LOT and have never had a problem. Even at 3 in the morning when I'm pushing my bass home from the subway....

[Metsboy]

Well I learned my lesson, don't tell any one on here anything  they don't want to hear . Thanks ..I'll keep this in mind from now on

[snickers]

Exactly, some people just don't want to look outside of the box,they only see what they want to see.
So the mugging victim had $60.00 in his wallet, yet he choose to walk the few blocks from the subway
station to his apt.

Guaranteed he wouldn't have been mugged had he hailed a cab which at that time of night are plentiful
around the subway station.

[bryncellen]

We are lucky that a lot of cabs are available around the subway station pretty much around the clock – and I totally agree that if someone is coming out of a bar at 3AM completely blitzed, spending a few bucks for a cab is the best option –

My guess is that most of the people who come home late (including all the people who work late or people who are coming home from concerts, ball games etc.) are sober (or more or less sober) and can and do make it home on foot OK without being an obvious target for someone with criminal intent.   

If this incident encourages people to demand a greater police presence, good security cameras in all building lobbies and other effective crime fighting tools, then something good will have come from it.  On the other hand, if it discourages people from going out at night because they feel the streets are somehow becoming too dangerous (and that if you can’t afford a cab you have to stay at home) then that would be a really bad outcome -- and could create a situation that would ultimately lead to more not less crime…

[Maple]

It never occurred to me to take a cab from the station, but I live only a couple of blocks away. Do a lot of people take cabs from the station late at night? Is that a Jackson Heights thing? Do people take cabs for a walk under 10 minutes? For safety reasons? I guess the availability of cabs makes it easier to consider.

[snickers]

It never occurred to me to take a cab from the station, but I live only a couple of blocks away. Do a lot of people take cabs from the station late at night? Is that a Jackson Heights thing? Do people take cabs for a walk under 10 minutes? For safety reasons? I guess the availability of cabs makes it easier to consider.

I think it's worth it most of the time but not on a nightly basis. Criminals often follow their potential victims from the train
station. There is a high probability that whoever tries to mug you doesn't live near you. I live on 74th St, somewhere between Woodside Ave and Queens Blvd and guess in which direction the muggers run to 99% of the time(yep towards the 74th St
subway station where they came from in the first place.

[Marlene]

Seventeen year old was arrested and charged on Sunday.

Diva reporting from sunny Puerto Rico.

Best, 

[snickers]

Seventeen year old was arrested and charged on Sunday.

Diva reporting from sunny Puerto Rico.

Best, 

Since you like giving us old news updates, let us know how much time he is facing
before he cops a plea with the prosecutors. Me thinks we will be reading about
this hood sometime in the very near future doing what he does best.

[mayze]

What makes you think a cab is safe?  There have been a slew of assaults and rapes in Chelsea over the years of people going home in cabs from the clubs and bars and drivers pushing people out in the completely wrong place.  In Chelsea it was safer to walk.

This robbery took place less than 2 blocks from the train.  A cab driver would laugh at you if you asked to cab it that short of a distance. I know cause I've asked and they laughed.

TiPs: If you put a friend in a cab you don't know, text or write down the time, number and name of the driver. At least, when you go MIA the police will have a lead.

Get to know a friendly/safe neighborhood cabbie and carry his number with you.

Take a self DEFENSE class.

Carry a pocket knife (under 4 inches please, its the law. This should only be used as a last resort and to open your mail. I'm not advocating violence here)

If the dude has a gun. Don't try to talk your way out or be a smart ass. Give the dude your wallet.

[Marlene]

Since you like giving us old news updates, let us know how much time he is facing
before he cops a plea with the prosecutors. Me thinks we will be reading about
this hood sometime in the very near future doing what he does best.

Honey , I'm in sunny Puerto Rico having a fabulous time. You should come out here. It works wonders for those of us that suffer from sarcasm. I got the news update while basking in the sun. Ill leave all further updates in your hands.

Best,

[Emma]

It doesn't matter what the crime is, someone will always find a way to blame the victim. Here, it's the poor dude's fault because he had a little money in his wallet and didn't take a cab the few odd blocks to his home. Come on, people.