Waterbury-LaSalle Residents Meet With 45th Precinct Captain Over Perceived Crime Increase

Some Waterbury-LaSalle residents believe crime is on the rise on their neighborhood.

However, statistics don’t bare that out. On Thursday, July 7 at Community Board 10’s offices, Captain Russell Green of the 45th Precinct met with all interested area residents to talk about what could be done to report local crime.

Overall crime in the Waterbury-LaSalle area is down 13 percent from the same time last year. Only one thing has been on the rise; thefts of car rims and tires, which has plagued not only Waterbury-LaSalle, but the entire country.

Green also told concerned residents about the different tools that are at their disposal to fight crime, such as the Waterbury-LaSalle Community Association, and the 45th Precinct Community Council. All parties came out of the summit with the feeling that progress was made.

“I think the meeting went well,” Captain Green said. “We basically explained to a few of the people who were concerned in Waterbury-LaSalle that there are places we can talk about those kinds of thing, and I explained some of the things we do there.”

The rims and tires theft, mainly from late-model Hondas, has risen. The last such incident took place in late June. Captain Green said the 45th Precinct has been specifically trying to fight that crime, with some success.

Rims theft is not just a Waterbury-LaSalle problem, nor is it just a Bronx problem.

“I basically explained them it’s a national issue,” Green said. “It’s been happening in Nassau County, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, even Texas. Everywhere.”

Michelle Torriono, who lives at Waterbury and Harrington avenues, was one of the organizers of those street meetings. “I think it was very informative,” she said. “Green was totally available.”

Mary Jane Musano, Ways and Means chair for the WLCA, also attended the meeting.

“I thought from my end it was a very positive meeting,” Musano said. “I wanted to know if it was perceived rise in crime. “The stats show we’re actually doing pretty good in crime- except for one thing, tires being stolen, so as Captain Green said, if you own a Honda Accord, Civic or a Toyota Camry it would be worth your while to invest in wheel locks. It could keep you from being a statistic.”