STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Mayor Eric Adams, who previously promoted the wearing of masks in public places to protect against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), is now saying that those intent on committing crimes are using the masks to protect themselves from being identified by law enforcement.
“Let’s be clear, some of these characters going into stores that are wearing their mask, they’re not doing it because they’re afraid of the pandemic, they’re doing it because they’re afraid of the police,” Adams said. “We need to stop allowing [potential criminals] to exploit the safety of the pandemic by wearing masks, committing crimes.”
Since late last year, no less than 10 smoke shops on Staten Island were violently robbed by armed individuals, many of whom were difficult to identify by victims and members of the NYPD because they were masked.
According to the mayor, while many such businesses have security cameras, and the NYPD has an elaborate camera system throughout the city, masks have made identification difficult.
Adams is now suggesting that store owners should be responsible for policing their own businesses by asking individuals to remove theirs masks upon entering their establishments — but offering them the option to put them back on once inside the stores.
Adams went on to say that while the city is beefing up a police presence in high-traffic shopping areas, they’re also beefing up our surveillance practices.
“We have something called paid detail where uniform officers are allowed during their off-duty hours to do some of the security at many of our stores and locations,” Adams added.
Regardless of an increased police presence, the Advance/SILive.com has previously reported on recent NYPD’s CompStat statistics, in which there is shown to be a significant jump in robberies and burglaries throughout Staten Island.
Up about 91%, there were 63 robberies reported, as compared to 33 during the same time in 2022. In the meantime, burglaries…
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