By Sabina Mollot
StuyTown Property Services is warning residents to be mindful after a few “isolated incidents” of packages being rifled through and going missing from building hallways.
The warning came via an emailed newsletter on Saturday, and went on to say management is reviewing surveillance footage from the affected areas and security is beefing up patrols at those addresses.
The chief of Stuy Town’s public safety department, William McClellan, said, “We would like to take this time to remind residents to not let anyone into the building that isn’t known to them personally. This is an easy way for non-residents to gain access to our buildings and potentially compromise the building’s security. It may seem impolite but it is an important matter of safety.”
He also asked that tenants report any suspicious behavior by calling (212) 598-5233.
Last October, T&V reported that a man was arrested after being spotted by an eagle-eyed resident, as he loitered by the mailboxes in her Peter Cooper building. The suspect, Jose Gonzalez, was allegedly found with packages delivered to several tenants in the building. He’d gotten inside by following a resident.
Susan Steinberg, president of the Tenants Association, said this week while the problem of mail and packages being left out in building lobbies hasn’t subsided completely, there has been a significant improvement from when, for some time, boxes were left to pile up.
However, she added, her own building may have also been the site of a package theft.
Around a week ago, she’d spotted a note put up by a neighbor asking if anyone had accidentally taken her package and if so, to return it to her.
Asked for comment, a spokesperson for management didn’t elaborate on what occurred in the recent incidents, other than to reiterate that it only happened a few times.
Tagged: Jose Gonzalez, package thefts, ST-PCV Tenants Association, StuyTown Property Services, William McClellan
