Longtime Ozone Park resident John Pellegrino said he was the victim of a mugging near his home. His assailant hit him in the head with a rock.

“He didn’t get anything, I got the better of it,” Pellegrino said.

He recounted his attack to NY1 and Angela Nocerino, the vice president of the Ozone Park Residents Block Association.

What You Need To Know

  • The Ozone Park Residents Block Association held a virtual meeting with NYPD officials about increases in crime

  • There have been a rash of bias attacks against Sikh men in the community

  • There were crime increases this year, compared to last year, in the two police precincts that cover Ozone Park

“Sad. It’s embarrassing,” Nocerino said. “You live here all your life and you have to be afraid of walking out of your house.”

Crime has been the talk of the neighborhood, which is covered by two police precincts.

In the 102 precinct, there were 445 major felony crimes this year through May 8, 53% higher than the same period last year, with increases in robberies, felony assaults and grand larcenies.

In the 106 precinct, there were 567 major felony crimes this year, a 46% increase from the same period last year.

There were also increases in petty larcenies and misdemeanor assaults.

Plus, residents say there’s been a rash of car break ins and thefts.

“One of the issues we’re finding now is that people are generally scared for their safety,” said Sam Esposito, president of the Ozone Park Residents Block Association. 

The Ozone Park group held a virtual meeting with local police officials from those precincts and politicians to discuss a spate of shootings, including one person shot during a robbery and hate crime attacks against Sikh men.

Esposito worried about whether there are enough officers in their local precincts.

A police captain for the 102 said the precinct is sufficiently staffed.

“I do wanna point out that our arrests are also up significantly and our summonses are also up,” Captain Eynat Naor said.

Meanwhile, a captain at the 106 precinct said he needs community support to combat crime, citing low attendance from a recent anti-gun violence rally.

“When the community doesn’t participate, we can’t be successful in our mission to keep the community safe,” Captain Jerome Bacchi said.

For Pellegrino and Nocerino, who now lives in Howard Beach and visits her old block to care for her sister, they want to see more police, like they used to see.

“Every so often, you see them ride down the block, but not like it used to be,” Pellegrino said.

“You used to know them,” Nocerino said. “Now, we don’t even know them.”