Friday, January 13, 2012

Key mugging evidence not recorded by DOT camera

From the Daily News:

Two hooded assailants pummeled Rosario DiMarco, 54, in a municipal parking lot off of 31st St. in Astoria recently in a failed attempt to steal some petty cash.

“They started hitting me with sticks. I was full of blood,” DiMarco recalled of the Dec. 21 incident. “I was yelling for help.”

The two thugs ran by a domed security camera perched on a street light. But hopes that it would offer key evidence to nabbing the culprits were soon dashed it turned out that the camera, maintained by the city Department of Transportation, wasn’t working.

“They’re collecting $8 a day for parking. You’re telling me they can’t have a working camera?” DiMarco griped. “That’s crap.”

Since then, the agency hasn’t made any pledges to reconnect the security feed, prompting [Council Member Peter] Vallone to write a letter to Maura McCarthy, Queens Borough Commissioner for the DOT.

DOT officials said the camera hasn’t worked since Michael Bloomberg’s first term as mayor.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

WTF? What is the point of the camera & as the victim says paying $8 a day and getting mugged and hurt - the camera would have helped find his attacker and bring them to justice.

Anonymous said...

What's next, a hookah bar in Astoria? A 99 cent store in Woodside? A chica house in Jackson Heights?

Anonymous said...

Crime is getting out of control in Mt Public Safety district - but not to worry - construction continues.

Anonymous said...

The contractors were all paid to install that camera. People are employed to monitor the camera.

Having it actually work? No one cares.

Anonymous said...

With love,
DOT