While major crime may seemingly be going down, pickpockets, hackers and attackers across Massapequa and the rest of Long Island are gettin
g smarter, focusing on more local and specific scams to rob people of their money, possessions and even identities.
Earlier in the year, County Executive Ed Mangano stated that there was a 9.5 percent decrease county-wide in major crime across all precincts in 2014. According to the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), there has been a 53 percent decrease in murders, a 36 percent reduction in robbery crimes and a 32 percent reduction in burglary crimes.
While that may be true on paper, many residents have fallen victim to the all too popular and unpredictable crime culprit: scams. From telephone and technology scams to credit card and diversion scams, Long Islanders have found it difficult to trust anyone these days.
However, it is mostly in part to the NCPD to which residents owe their gratitude and more importantly, their safety.
“We owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women of the Nassau County Police Department who are out there each and every day, getting the job done and ensuring the safety of everyone here in Nassau County,” said Acting Commissioner Thomas Krumpter.
Senator Michael Venditto recently voted to approve a comprehensive Women’s Equality Agenda to enhance the rights of women and protect New Yor
kers who are most vulnerable to abuse and discrimination. While these eight bills focus more on equality in employment and financial pay, the package does serve to protect women against human trafficking; sexual harassment in the workplace; puts an end gender discrimination in employment, housing and credit decisions and provides stronger protections for domestic violence victims.
“I am proud to vote for these important and historic measures to protect and enhance the rights of women,” said Venditto. “For the benefit of every woman in New York, it’s time for the Assembly to stop putting politics ahead of women’s equality, and join us in acting on these bills so they can become law.”
According to Detective Vincent Garcia of the NCPD, scams that target women are not a prevalent crime, as there are no patterns and it is very arbitrary. However, he did offer basic tips that every person, man or woman, can do to protect himself or herself.
“We don’t have an increase in pedestrian robberies,” he said, adding that most of the crimes have been geared towards technology, credit card and phone scams. “Don’t become a target. When you’re out in public and you’re carrying a bag, clutch it tightly under your arm.”
Garcia also added that parking under a streetlight or near a well lit area, keeping your keys in your hand while walking to your car (with the key facing outward) and simply being aware of your general surroundings are personal safety tips that can be applied to everyone.
“Instinct tells you when something isn’t right. So if you are walking out of a store and would feel safer being escorted to your car, ask the manager or an employee to accompany you,” said Garcia.
For more tips on personal safety and to find out how you can best protect yourself from all kinds of scams, visit the Nassau County Police Department website at www.pdcn.org.
For more on scams, visit www.longislandweekly.com .
