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FREE BEER WITH TOMATOES AND POTATOES!
Story By: James Edstrom
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| Kegs Of Beer Outside Tonight |
You know, I am disgusted with the 108th police department in Long Island City. Why I bother to even report a crime to them is beyond me.
Crime has been a problem in Hunter's Point South Park. We have had a rape reported at Gantry Park located next door, there was a attempted child kidnapping a few weeks ago that the nanny did not report because she was scared. Endless amounts of graffiti are being painted all over the park and the great park employees attempt to clean up every day. Broken bottles are everywhere along with blunt wraps to smoke weed. I could care less if anyone drinks and smokes weed, but I do care when they vandalize the park.
First of all the park is supposed to be closed at 10pm which is not enforced. Second of all, it is disgusting the mess created by LIC Landing Restaurant. The garbage outside the restaurant, the food, the kegs, bottled water and soda. It is disgusting.
First of all, it is illegal to store food outside. LIC Landing Restaurant does this. I have witnessed many nights the rats chewing at the tomatoes, potatoes and onions as well as the garbage. Second it is illegal to store alcohol outside where minors can have access. This is done as you see by the photo above. I am sure they will say they are empty kegs, but I picked them up, some are empty, most are full. This is a state liquor authority violation.
I have been told the owner is a nice guy. He may be, but I am shocked he would allow his restaurant to operate like this. It is a mess outside and it's created by his restaurant. It is really disgusting to go to a beautiful park and then have to look at the mess outside the restaurant.
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| Food Stored Outside Recently |
But lets get back to the 108th police department. Every night people go to the restaurant and steal food and beer as well as water and soda. Since I am outside smoking my cigarettes as I live in a non-smoking building, I see it all. A few weeks ago I called the police, underage kids were stealing kegs of beer. They arrived fast, but the kids must have seen me on the phone and ditched the kegs. The next day the parks department told me they found two kegs in the bushes. The sad fact was, the police were questioning the kids and did not even take out a flashlight to look in the brush, this is where the kids hid the kegs. So I decided not to call anymore and besides the owner of the restaurant should not be storing anything outside in the first place.
Now tonight. A car pulls up and drives down the one way street, turns around and pulls out a shopping cart. They go to the restaurant and start loading up. I call the police and by this time the trunk is almost full. They were back at the restaurant for another load when the police came. I point the police to their car and they walk like little old ladies to the restaurant and bring back two guys. They make them open the trunk and see the loot. I was in shock when they made the two crooks bring everything back to the restaurant and let them go. Why did I even bother, I don't know.
Every night people come with carts and boxes and load up on goods. I am very surprised the owner does not know this is happening. At this point, I do not care. We live in a beautiful neighborhood with beautiful neighbors. This is the home I always wanted and I will just ignore these petty crimes.
I am though very surprised the
Hunters Point Conservancy would allow this restaurant to operate like this. The restaurant expanded their outside tables because they do so much business, I at least hope more rent is being collected, because this took away space from the public. If anything, they should make the restaurant build storage and charge more rent for the space. But most of all the restaurant should be made to keep the place clean.
I love our community, but I do not have time nor the desire to be calling the police 5 times a night. They need to patrol and enforce the laws. Plain and simple. They can start with the stop signs, no one stops and someone will get killed. But they will ignore till that happens, then the 108th will be the ones to blame because they were told.
One last comment, The workers in the park are to be commended. They clean up the mess every morning and they work so hard in all kinds of weather to make the park beautiful. All day long they prune the gardens, pick up the litter and clean up the graffiti. I have never seen such a great staff who really are proud and care for the park and the community. I just love them all!
TIMES SQUARE
Long Island City, NY 11101, USA
