A rash of burglaries has Bay Ridge on edge as crime spikes across NYC

A rash of break-ins at small businesses across Bay Ridge has rattled residents in a neighborhood long among the safer corners of the city ― mirroring the profound sense of unease spreading across New York City.

Over the last several weeks, tens of thousands of dollars have been stolen from Bay Ridge businesses. Thieves have hit a pizza place, a bagel shop and a Mexican restaurant, among others. Police suspect one crew may be responsible for at least a half-dozen burglaries.

Fantastic Bagels in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, is pictured the morning after more than $4,000 was stolen.

“It’s like a free-for-all out there,” said Luciano Devito, 42, who works at a boutique in Bay Ridge. “There’s no consequences … It’s like the wild, wild West. It’s strange. I never really thought about it much, but especially watching the news and stuff at night and seeing how much violence is going on, and robberies and the subway, it’s a weird time.”

Across the city, almost every category of crime has increased post-pandemic, with higher rates of robberies, felony assault and auto theft. Grand larceny in the 68th Precinct, which includes Bay Ridge, is up 42.8% this year from last year, according to data from the NYPD.

“I don’t feel as safe. I don’t go out past 10 at night … The neighborhood is changing fast and I’m not happy about it,” Winnie Bracco, 62, a Bay Ridge resident, said.

The spike could have political ramifications. The neighborhood has long been known as a conservative stronghold in the city. Streets are lined with American flags and pro-police signage. Many local restaurants offer NYPD discounts.

However, in recent years, it’s become more of a partisan battleground. In the 2018 congressional race for the 11th District and the 2020 presidential election that year, the neighborhood voted blue.

A sign showing support for congressional candidate incumbent Nicole Malliotakis is pictured in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, in October 2022.

Ahead of the upcoming congressional midterm elections, where incumbent Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and former Democratic Rep. Max Rose will face off, crime has become a political rallying cry in Bay Ridge.

“We want our city, state, and federal leaders to take action to address public safety that is crippling our community, reducing the quality of life and causing small businesses to close and New Yorkers to flee for safer places,” Malliotakis said at a press conference in September, where she and local businesses blamed bail reform for this string of break-ins, even though no suspects have been named.

On one August morning, Michelle Hughes’ heart sank when she walked into work. The manager at Lobo Loco, on 3rd Ave. in Bay Ridge entered the Mexican restaurant to find the cash register on the ground and the staff’s personal items stashed in the back in disarray. The restaurant had been robbed overnight. The thieves had taken $1,000 and ran.

Hughes thought that was bad, but it got much worse five days later, when she again walked into work to find the restaurant in disorder. Thieves had struck once more ― this time taking $12,000, according to the NYPD.

Fantastic Bagels in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, is pictured the morning after more than $4,000 was stolen.

The two burglaries disturbed Hughes. She had felt safe in the restaurant, a second home to her, and in Bay Ridge. Since then, she’s been much more careful, now looking over her shoulder when she leaves work. She keeps cash at home and doesn’t leave anything at work anymore, not even a change of clothes or pair of work shoes.

“It was a weird feeling,” Hughes said. “Especially, after all that we’ve been through in this business — and we’re still not back to normal ― to do that … it just gives you an unease. It just feels like, ‘OK well, if they’re desperate, maybe they’ll come during the daytime.’ Who knows? You see things in the news, everybody gets robbed in broad daylight these days. You don’t know. Nothing’s the same anymore.”

Six connected robberies hit Bay Ridge in a two-week span, with thieves making off with about $28,000 in total, according to the NYPD.

On Aug. 30, thieves took around $4,000 in cash from Cebu, a Third Ave. restaurant, general manager Douglas Kelleher said.

“There’s a lot of other issues in Bay Ridge, but crime is not one of them,” Kelleher said. “But once this happens, it’s like, I used the analogy, if you ultimately trust somebody and they cheat on you, the trust is hard to get back. You walk around Bay Ridge, you don’t think you’re going to get mugged, get shot. But someone got shot this year, and now all these robberies, now you’re on guard.”

The robberies felt like a low blow to local restaurants that struggled first through COVID lockdowns, then record-high inflation, rising rents and supply chain issues.

Pedro Tlapa, owner of Fantastic Bagels, said more than $4,000 was stolen from his store in September. He said his business has been targeted by thieves two other times this year.

“It hurt, because it was almost that month’s rent that they took,” Tlapa said.

Pedro Tlapa, owner of Fantastic Bagels in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where more than $4,000 was stolen recently.

Campania Coal Fired Pizza, on Fourth Ave. and 99th St., was targeted on Sept. 21. Thieves, who have not been connected with the first string of robberies, took more than $3,000.

“We’re gonna work our rear ends off all day, and they’re gonna come and rob us at night?” Arnold, a manager who declined to share his last name, said. “Dealing with economics, supply chain issues, staffing issues, that’s all part of the business. When you’re dealing with crime, that’s a city issue,” he said.

In response to the burglaries, some businesses are reducing its hours and installing extra security measures.

Paneantico Bakery Cafe closes earlier than it used to, said owner Frank Buono.

“You’re always nervous when somebody comes into the neighborhood to rob,” Buono said. “But we’ve been lucky. The only thing I can do on my end is tell people to be careful when they’re going home. And if someone comes in to rob, just give them what they want. If they want a cake, give them a cake.”

Over the last several weeks, tens of thousands of dollars have been stolen from Bay Ridge businesses. Thieves have hit a pizza place, a bagel shop and a Mexican restaurant, among others. Police suspect one crew may be responsible for at least a half-dozen burglaries.

At Louie’s Gyros, owner Louie Lykourezos is shopping around for a gate for the storefront.

“I grew up in Bay Ridge. This was a safe, good neighborhood where businesses have been around for 30, 40, 50 years and have never had to worry about this,” Lykourezos said. “A lot of the businesses [that were robbed] are good friends of mine, so it’s kind of nerve-racking and scary to me … I have a ton of cameras and all that, but that’s seeming not to stop anybody.

“Would I want to put a guard dog in there, buy a pit bull, and just have whoever it is come in and [the dog] rip their heads off? Yeah, of course. But that’s not ideal, you know?”

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