4 THE QUEENS COURIER • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Photo via Google Maps/Inset photo via NYPD Police are looking for two men who robbed nine victims in Elmhurst. Duo violently robs 9 people in Elmhurst in 4 weeks BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Police are searching for two men who robbed nine victims throughout Elmhurst since last month, kicking and punching them and even threatening a victim with a knife. Th e suspects, described as Hispanic men who are between the ages of 17 and 21 years old, between 5 feet, 9 inches and 6 feet, 1 inch tall with a slim build, began their spree on Jan. 28. Th ey robbed four victims that day, who ranged in age from 19 to 49. Law enforcement sources said the robberies occurred between the hours of 9 p.m. at night and 5 a.m. In almost every instance, authorities said, the men stole cash, cellphones and wallets. Th e men also stole a 26-year-old victim’s sneakers and jacket. He, along with a victim who was robbed on Feb. 8, were taken to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition. A full list of the incidents is as follows: - On Saturday, Jan. 28, at 1:05 a.m., the individuals robbed a 49-year-old male victim at 91-31 Lamont Ave. - On Saturday, Jan. 28 at 1:10 a.m., the suspects robbed a 19-year-old Gleane Street and Elmhurst Avenue. Th e victim was not injured as a result of this incident. - On Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3:30 a.m., the suspects robbed a 26-year-old male victim in the vicinity of 43rd Avenue and Elbertson Street. He was pushed and kicked several times in the back and was taken to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition. - On Saturday, Jan. 28 at 5 a.m., the suspects robbed a 38-year-old male victim in the vicinity of Elmhurst Avenue and Elbertson Street. Th e victim was not injured as a result of this incident. - On Sunday, Feb. 5, at 10:10 p.m., the men robbed a 27-yearold male victim at the intersection of Elmhurst Avenue and Ithaca Street. Th e victim was not hospitalized as a result of this incident. - On Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 2:45 a.m., the suspects robbed a 29-year-old male at the intersection of Whitney Avenue and Forley Street. He was punched in the face and knocked to the ground during the robbery and taken to Elmhurst Hospital in stable condition. - On Friday, Feb. 10, at 9 p.m., the men robbed a 41-yearold male victim in front of 74-02 43rd Ave. Th e victim was not injured as a result of this incident. - On Friday, Feb. 10, at 9:10 p.m., in front of 87-42 Elmhurst Ave., the men robbed a 30-year-old male. Th e victim was not injured as a result of this incident. - On Saturday, Feb. 18, at 12:55 a.m., in front of 44-40 Denman St., the suspects robbed a 28-year-old male. Th e victim was not hospitalized as a result of this incident. Th e robberies were reported to the 110th Precinct. Th e investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information in regards to this missing is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or for Spanish 888-57-PISTA (74782). Th e public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls and messages are kept confi dential. Photo by Suzanne Monteverdi/THE COURIER Assemblyman Ron Kim discusses his bill to protect the city’s small businesses. Bill gives small biz power to fi ght bad inspectors BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI smonteverdi@qns.com/@smont76 Restaurant owners must be able to blow the whistle on health inspectors who abuse their power, according to Assemblyman Ron Kim. Th e Flushing-based lawmaker announced on Tuesday, Feb. 21, his introduction of the Restaurant Owner Whistleblower Protection Act, which seeks to reform New York’s restaurant health inspection system and protect small business owners from unfair treatment and inspection practices. “Local restaurants and community diners represent the kind of small businesses that have helped shape the history of our neighborhoods,” Kim said during a press conference with business owners at Flushing Town Hall. “But in recent decades, a combination of oppressive regulations and a harsh economic climate — including steep rent increases — have forced more and more restaurants to close. Health inspection practices that are oft en unfair or even abusive have only further exacerbated this issue.” Th e bill proposes an independent oversight committee for Department of Heath food inspectors — an eff ort to hold health inspectors accountable for their actions and ease the burdens of mom-andpop business owners struggling to remain open and thrive. Th is committee would receive anonymous complaints against health inspectors and provide multilingual assistance to business owners, as well as publish an annual report about complaints received and the investigative fi ndings. “My husband has owned a pizzeria in Rockaway for 35 years,” Assemblywoman Stacey Pheff er- Amato said. “He, like other small business owners, understands the need for inspections. But the system New York City uses is adversarial, and too oft en, inspections are used as a way to milk businesses for fi nes as an added, unpredictable and unfair tax.” State Senator Jose Peralta said he personally witnessed a health inspector abusing their power. While at a pizzeria in Jackson Heights, Peralta watched a health inspector walk into the restaurant’s kitchen without identifying himself to the owner. Th e owner, who Peralta said was dealing with a language barrier, asked the inspector to explain what he was doing, to which the inspector responded, “I will explain to you aft er I’m done.” He then proceeded to issue the owner a series of violations. “When you have abusive inspectors like that, it really sends a wrong message,” Peralta said. “Th ere are times when we introduce legislation to level the playing fi eld, and that’s what this piece of legislation does.” Th e proposed legislation would also enable food establishments to reschedule health inspections up to three times, provided they pay a fee to the agency each time. Minsun Kim, small business owner and president of the Korean American Association of Greater New York, spoke about the need for the proposed bill. “I believe that small businesses are the engine behind the New York State economy,” Kim said. “Recently, there are too many restrictions imposed upon small businesses, making it very hard to operate these businesses for small business owners.” INTERNS WANTED NEWSPAPER IN QUEENS EDITORIAL & WEB editorial@queenscourier.com
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