114th Pct Stabbings Up, But Suspect Nabbed
BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

Stabbings are up, contributing to an increase in felonious assaults in the 114th Precinct so far this year. "Knives are a big part of it," said Inspector Brian McCarthy, commanding officer, at the May meeting of the 114th Precinct Community Council.

Arrests for knife possession are also up by 32 percent. "We have had 119 knife arrests so far," McCarthy said, pointing out the precinct had only 87 knife arrests for all of 2005. "We're probably going to triple that," he said.

Police are seeking an Astoria resident in connection with the stabbing death of a 19- year-old on May 16 at 28th Street and Hoyt Avenue. "We have positively ID'd a perpetrator in that incident," McCarthy said.

Responding to a question at Riccardo's, McCarthy said Miguel Rivera, a male Hispanic, was being tracked by detectives from the precinct. "I feel confident that he'll be apprehended in the near future," he said. (Late-breaking news from the 114th Precinct indicated that a suspect had been arrested last Thursday.)

At about 2 a.m. on May 16, Emrand Hossain, 9, was stabbed in the chest during a fight, police said in the Newsday report.

"If you see stores selling knives, let the precinct know," McCarthy said, emphasizing laws governing the sale and display of knives and that carrying one is generally illegal. "Nothing good comes from it," he said, referring to carrying knives.

Year to date, crime is down slightly more than 7 percent in the 114th and April Cop-of-the-Month honors were bestowed on Police Officers Michael Warren, Joseph Ianno and Brett Weilert.

During the month of April, Warren had six arrests. On April 27 at 2 a.m., he arrested an individual found criminally trespassing for narcotics possession. "This [type of] arrest prevents more serious crime," McCarthy said.

After questioning, the suspect revealed information about a location where drugs and stolen property were trafficked. On investigation, it was found that the resident of the location had 35 prior arrests, giving credence to the information. Warren presented the information to the District Attorney's office and obtained a search warrant.

At the suspected location, police recovered stolen property, heroin and drug paraphernalia. The occupant was arrested for the 36th time.

Ianno made three arrests in April, working plainclothes from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on the Anti-Crime Team. On April 12, Ianno responded to a report of suspicious individuals on 30th Avenue.

With his partner, Ianno pursued the suspects after they began to run, apprehending one of the two. At the precinct, it was found a burglary had been committed at a commercial location at the time of the report. A check of the suspect's criminal history showed prior arrests and convictions for burglary, and professional burglar tools and masks were also found.

Weilert, a member of the Burglary Apprehension Team, notched 10 arrests for the month, four for criminal trespass which is considered a prevention of possible burglary. He also executed a search warrant that led to three arrests and the recovery of stolen property.