This past Saturday night at approximately 10:30PM, Williamsburg Shomrim (WSPU) received a few calls on their hotline that a woman was just robbed on bedford Avenue and South 9th Street.
Upon their arrival, WSPU members found the victim, an African American female, who informed them that the suspect approached her from behind, grabbed her pocketbook, and fled down the street.
The units began to canvass the area in search of the suspect, and the NYPD was notified to respond.
A WSPU volunteer noticed the suspect fleeing a few blocks away – still holding the pocketbook – and began to chase the suspect on foot. While running, the suspect dropped the pocketbook. He was successfully apprehended, and the woman was brought over to identify the suspect. After her confirmation, the suspect was placed under arrest by the NYPD’s 90th Pct, and the woman was given back her pocketbook. The suspect was charged with robbery.
The woman thanked the members of Williamsburg Shomrim for helping her and getting her pocketbook returned.
“Our mission is to protect the entire community that we patrol,” a WSPU Coordinator told YWN.
“Race and religion, makes no difference to us when it comes to fighting crime in the streets which we patrol.”
(Paloma Gefen – YWN)
Kol Hakovod shomrim!
Continue making us proud!!
Very very nice I am really proud to belong to such a community! Kul Hakavud for the brave and getria Shumrim members!
Very nice, but — maybe, not so smart…
The article says the perp dropped the bag when he saw he was being pursued.
If he saw he was being pursued, he might also (IF he was armed) have turned around and, chalila, shot the shomrim member, and this story might have had a very different ending.
The job of Shomrim is to be EYES for the NYPD, to locate perps for the cops to grab. NOT to get so close that a Shomrim member ON FOOT, could end up being chased (or worse) by the criminal.
B”H this story had a happy ending.
Many of us will remember a few months ago when a Shomrim member in Boro Park got shot by making this mistake.
Ah, some good Jewish news!
Im so glad to be part of the willy community!!!
It’s so nice to be part of a positive Jewish community! Kol Hakovod to Shomrim and to everyone who can see this in a positive light!