Mugged Inside My Building

At about 6:20pm tonight a guy followed me into my apartment building on St. Johns between Washington and Underhill. Some girl walking her dog let him in behind me. As I was getting my mail he came up to me and asked the time. I pulled out my phone to answer and he dove in and snagged it away from me. He tried to grab whatever was in my bag as well, but I just had some books.

I don't pull my phone out on the street, so it seems like he just picked me randomly, assuming I'd have something of value. Just a reminder, don't let anyone trail in behind you, and, as the police later told me, if anyone asks the time the correct answer is "fuck you".

That sucks - sorry it happened to you.

I just saw the midsection of a phone snatch whiz by on Vanderbilt. Youth, hella fast, on sidewalk, yellow bmx bike, chased by dude running HARD, "Stop him! He stole my phone!" One block later loud dull thud: bike hits van. 911 calls, broken glass, youth leaves bike and is gone.

It's the freakin passion play of Prospect Heights.

sorry to hear this happened to you.... at least you werent hurt

and im very sorry to hear that the piece of garbage in Pitu's story lived, much less ran away

They still call it Crazy Lane!

Don't you just love how people stand in the vestibule or whatever and act like it's the sworn duty of the next person to open the door to let them in.. I've had some interesting conversations with people in the very early AM as I'm heading out to work, 60 units in my building and I'd be lucky to ID on sight maybe 15 people who live here..

I never let anyone follow me in, nor do I let anyone in unless I know them personally. If I get asked a question by some random dude on the street I keep walking.

Stop being a victim.

At least he didn't have his dick out.

DAMN!

At least you are ok!

Sorry

I wish more buildings had security cameras- I was followed into my old building in bedstuy in the middle of the day. I was in the act of pulling the door closed behind me (as I always did) when some guy wedged himself in. At that point, I either had to try to push him out of the door (scary) or sort of "let" him in... luckily my apt was on the second floor so I was able to get away but when the cops came it was sort of useless since I couldn't give a good description of the guy and there were no working cameras.

If someone's asking you for the time, you're about to be robbed.

It's the oldest setup there is.

This reminds me to tell new tenants don't let people in if you don't know them!! another thing I hate about building is people buzz people in all the time.

When i used to do deliveries if i got lock out, i'll just ring all the bells. usually one person would buzz me in.

So sorry to hear about that!!! Man...scary stuff.

Side story: Once I was on my way to check out a new apartment. While walking down the block 2 kids (13-ish) asked "Yo, miss, what time is it?" I didn't want to pull out my phone so I said "About 3 o'clock" since I knew my appointment was at 3pm and I was on the block of the apartment. Their response ... "I didn't ask you about what time it was, bitch". Nice stuff. But better than losing the phone.

another guy just tried to tail me into my building. i've obviously become a lot more cautious since getting mugged, and i shut the door just before he could get in. he was pretty mad that i wouldn't let him in, and started shouting "i'm gonna fuck you up once i get in the building!"

as soon as someone buzzed him in he came running to catch me. i managed to shut my door just in time and he started pounding on it.

seriously, fuck this place. i'm getting too paranoid. is lack of safety grounds for ending a lease early?

I can't help you on the canceling the lease question.

But will comment that sometimes the best course of action is to ask yourself "will I be safer further down the block than I am now?"

If the answer is "no", than consider stopping under a bright light or next to some people hanging out (regardless of whether you know them), and suddenly hang out. Needless to say, don't take out your phone. ...just hang out.

This may result in:

a. The mugger being thrown off guard, and deciding you aren't a good victim.

b. The mugger merely mugging you in some place that is of your choosing, instead of his.

c. Others potentially seeing the act and possibly intervening to stop it.

You should report what just happened to the police. Glad you are ok.

....I don't know if this lecture is needed, or if you were just picked randomly, but this neighborhood isn't a place that you can walk around with a cell phone.

you could scream rape just to throw him off or you can start to defend yourself and take your life back, you know what the la riots taught me is the cops aren't there when you need them.

guys like this always will be there. if its one on one most muggers wouldn't do it. unless they think there is easy pray. ready with the fist or weapon and go for it. don't let them survive, it cost more in nyc to house and feed a living criminal than anything else. plus it would be your word against his. a dead man can't really defend himself in court. most likely they'll have a record and who would they believe a good citizen or some scum with a bad record who happens to be dead.

these are just my thoughts and opinions only shouldn't be acted out etc.....

seriously, fuck this place. i'm getting too paranoid. is lack of safety grounds for ending a lease early?

Unfortunately,

CRIME PREVENTION

Landlords are required to take minimal precautions to protect against foreseeable criminal harm. For example, tenants who are victims of crimes in their building or apartment, and who are able to prove that the criminal was an intruder and took advantage of the fact that the entrance to the building was negligently maintained by the landlord, may be able to recover damages from the landlord.

Having said that, if there is anything you can point to that would be considered as constituting a decrease in a required service(for safety) then you'll find the LL amicable to voiding the lease instead of risking a potential suit by you seeking treble damages. Just the whiff of a suit would give his insurance carrier a heart murmur. It's a negotiation that puts the LL in a hole to begin with. You have to hang tough.

PS You need to file a crime report. Even now is not too late.

i would hire a tenant lawyer to get yourself out of the lease but after talking to the landlord to see if he'll let you out of the lease early. if he doesn't stick the lawyer on him.

guys like this always will be there. if its one on one most muggers wouldn't do it. unless they think there is easy pray. ready with the fist or weapon and go for it. don't let them survive, it cost more in nyc to house and feed a living criminal than anything else. plus it would be your word against his. a dead man can't really defend himself in court. most likely they'll have a record and who would they believe a good citizen or some scum with a bad record who happens to be dead.

i hear what you're saying, but at the end of the day that means i'm paying way too much money to live in a place where i have to wonder whether or not this is the day i'll need to kill someone just to live my life hassle-free. I definitely plan on getting some form of protection in the near-term, but that's no way to live long-term, even if it is making a statement that i won't be bullied and intimidated by the thugs on this block.

PS You need to file a crime report. Even now is not too late.

I called 911 after it happened and talked to the police. Since I didn't get a great look at the guy they said there was nothing they could do, but at least they know that shit is happening here.

Having said that, if there is anything you can point to that would be considered as constituting a decrease in a required service(for safety) then you'll find the LL amicable to voiding the lease instead of risking a potential suit by you seeking treble damages. Just the whiff of a suit would give his insurance carrier a heart murmur. It's a negotiation that puts the LL in a hole to begin with. You have to hang tough.

one of the clauses in the lease is that tenants cannot disrupt the lives or threaten the safety of other tenants, or invite others into the building that do so. it's pretty broad, but it's a beginning of a discussion about getting out of the lease early.

the lease is up in 2.5 months anyway. soooooo if anyone's interested in a 3BR on St Johns btw. Washington and Underhill for under $2k a month, I know of one that'll be available sometime between now and March 1st...

....I don't know if this lecture is needed, or if you were just picked randomly, but this neighborhood isn't a place that you can walk around with a cell phone.

i definitely didn't have my cell phone out. now that i've had two taken from me in three months i basically never pull it out in public.

i was reading old threads about muggings in this area and am realizing that i'm pretty much the stereotypical "target" according to police. there was a thread from '08 talking about how mugging victims in this area tend to be white, short hair, carrying messenger bags. that's me to a tee, so i think it was random, but not THAT random.

I just realize you live on crazy lane. i'm like hmmm most of the hood is okay.

"the lease is up in 2.5 months anyway. soooooo if anyone's interested in a 3BR on St Johns btw. Washington and Underhill for under $2k a month, I know of one that'll be available sometime between now and March 1st..."

That stretch of St. John is the worst.

damn, that rent is amazing

damn, that rent is amazing

yeah i wonder why.

I live on that block. I was feeling kind of trepidatious about it before I moved in after researching it (esp. on this forum). But I feel actually very safe on this particular block (knock wood). It's well lit and has more traffic (b/c of apt. buildings) than the "quieter" brownstone blocks.

i walk that block fairly often and never notice anything

ST. Johns has become MUCH quieter over the past few years.

....at the time, it earned its Crazy Lane reputation, but now it is losing it.

You should put some kind of note up on the front door as a precautionary tale. Also thank the chick with the dog when you see her

i, as a resident of this block, want to know what building number this is.

I live on that block. I was feeling kind of trepidatious about it before I moved in after researching it (esp. on this forum). But I feel actually very safe on this particular block (knock wood). It's well lit and has more traffic (b/c of apt. buildings) than the "quieter" brownstone blocks.

i walk that block fairly often and never notice anything

ST. Johns has become MUCH quieter over the past few years.

....at the time, it earned its Crazy Lane reputation, but now it is losing it.

glad you guys feel safe there. i certainly don't anymore. while my own negative experiences do not necessarily equal a descent into the "bad old days" of the block, crime rates are definitely increasing year-over-year throughout the city, and in our fair precinct as well.

i, as a resident of this block, want to know what building number this is.

sorry. i'm not comfortable giving out the number. it's one of the green/red awning buildings on the north side of the street about halfway down.